Wrecked Life Chapter 1
by ebell1
Summary: Something strange happens while a game tech is upgrading games and replacing ticket in Litwak's Arcade. A dream within a dream. A nightmare she can't wake from. Wreck it Ralph and it's ilk belong to Disney/Pixar. I may change this to an M later
1. Chapter 1

The day started off like any other at the Litwak's Family Fun Center & Arcade. Despite threats of thunder storms later that afternoon the arcade was full. Every game had at least 2 or 3 players patiently waiting their turn. Mr. Litwak had hired his older son and a friend of his sons to set up and run a snack bar where the players could get ice cold drinks, pretzel's, and pizzas. His second son kept track of a ticket booth. To his delight adding tickets in order to get little trinkets had made his arcade more popular and kids now played not just to win, but to win tickets that they could redeem at the counter. His son Barry had claimed it was gambling for kids it just seemed that addictive. Mr. Litwak was inclined to agree. The ticket booth didn't mean money to him though, it meant his young and not so young customers could enjoy themselves even more.

As the day passed by and kids began to drift home broke but pleased and moaning about tomorrow being Monday and a school day. Litwak wondered around briefly to check his games for any out of order signs he might have stuck up. There were none. He was rather pleased. The door opened and a woman walked in. It was hard to tell her age. Her face was childlike but the eyes behind her glasses held weary cynicism and it was hard to say if she was trim or not under the baggy shapeless clothes she wore. A name badge proclaimed her one Daniel Mcdeal. Mr. Litwak smiled apologetically.

" I'm sorry miss. We're closing but we open at 8 in the morning."

The woman smiled at him warmly and reached out to shake his hand. " I'm here to calibrate your machines and upgrade some of your older ones."

" Oh yes YES of course terribly sorry, usually a man comes here once every 6 months or so. Gerry something..."

" Yes he trained me he's retired now. I brought in some more roles of tickets, I'll check your machines and make sure their filled as well as your token machines. I'll leave extras for you during the week. Half a minute and you'll be able to put your money in your safe."

Litwak nodded and went to the back to unlock a door to his office. He came out with a long bag and his key. Daniel followed him patiently around listening to his chatter as he opened each machine to empty it of the money within. She didn't bother replacing tickets yet as she had alot to do. Once every machine was empty of it's money and Litwak and his son struggled to get the bag into the safe for counting early tomorrow they made she had a key to lock up.

Daniel bid them farewell and then sighed. This was her job. Upgrading machines, replacing ticket rolls, and when she was wasn't doing that she worked on the geek squad helping people with their computers. Although she didn't let this get around she was a rather good hacker though she had never used it for anything bad. However that seemed to be all she was good at. She didn't go out. She had few friends and no family. Her romantic life never active to begin with had gone downhill when she picked up a night job to help maintain video games. Still she was very well off and had plenty of money. Plenty of money however was a bit dull since she had no one to spend it on.

She pulled out a handy man's belt and she placed her tools and electric gadgets in it. Normally only the newest games got an upgrade. For example it was time to add new songs and dances to the Dance Dance Revolution game. A video card needed to be replaced in 2 other games as the screen had taken on a black line right down the center. Still one or two older games were showing signs of a video card needing to be replaced as the picture jittered slightly.

Daniel hitched up her belt and grabbed the bag of rolled tickets. The first thing she did was the easiest. She replaced all the ticket rolls. Then she moved to the trickier chore. Upgrading some of the newer games. On her back under the Dance Dance Revolution game she plugged in a card into a USB port and then opened her tiny little laptop on her wrist to give it the proper command. She waited until the screen flashed ' update successful '.

She climbed out of the game and carefully put the back on it screwing it shut. A Loud BAM of thunder caused her to jump slightly and she glanced out the glass door to see the rain pouring down with a vengeance. She sighed hoping it would be done by the time she had to leave. Other than that she gave it little thought. She opened another game careful with the wires and then pulled the video card out snapping a new one in places. She looked at the screen. Fresh colors infused new life into the background and the characters as they fought some zombies.

Daniel paused at a game named ' Fix Felix Jr ' She smiled at it. " God you were my favorite game when I was a kid." She murmured. Felix had always reminded her dad who she loved and had lost at a young age. He was the one who had taught her how to work with her hands. He had taught her to take a small engine apart and put it together again. No matter what, be it the house or the car, her father had always been able to fix it.

She frowned a little. Fix it was looking a little dull. She checked her pouch mumbling to herself " I wonder if I have 23-0 video card? It's such an old game...Ah yes..."

She wrestled the game away from the wall panting. After taking a rest she pulled out a plug from the console in the back and then removed the back panel. She winced at how old everything was. She pulled out the video card and popped a new one in. She also replaced two small chords that went to the controllers. With some 'yoga from hell' like moves she managed to twist up enough to pull the buttons out of the games shell and replace them with fresh buttons. She snapped these in took a small brush from her pouch and brushed away spider webs.

' Sorry Guys '

Well that was it. The colors would be brighter and the buttons wouldn't be so loose and wishy washy. Satisfied she took the chord and plugged it in. Unfortunately a horrible pain shot up her arm spreading relentlessly through out her body. Over her screams she could hear the roar of thunder. It sounded like Armageddon.

Her last confused thought before she spun away into darkness was ' Mom? Dad? What...'


	2. Chapter 2

Several characters in a few games that were able to reach their monitor were pressed up against it concerned. The woman who had been fixing some of the games and updating them was laying wedged between ' Fix it Felix Jr' and 'The Flying Air Dogs' game. One sneakered foot was twitching. The surge protector who was one of the few who could travel between games and beyond jumped to the telephone line and called 911.

Felix frowned adjusting his collar. He was due to meet up with his gorgeous wife For a night at the candy cafe a little game that was geared towards the younger audience. You could make coffee, decorate donuts and scone and it was generally a festive cheerful place. He could see there was a commotion but jumping up to the top of the building peering out didn't show him what the commotion was.

He sighed and then glanced at his reflection in the window of the roof's door. He smiled pleased. They had obviously gotten something new as the colors of his clothes were brighter and the definition of his face higher. Of course he was no where near the pixels his wife was and that was ok by him. He left the roof and headed to the door to catch the train to gaming central. He passed Ralph who had picked himself up out of the mud and was moving to his shack looking concerned as he peered at the monitor trying to see what was going on.

" Hey brother your looking pretty bright today." Felix said. Ralph gave him a dead pan look. Felix frowned and motioned to their clothes. " Brighter, we look brighter, think we got a new video card cool huh? How do I look?"

Felix did a twirl causing Ralph to smile and roll his eyes. " Yea, yea man you look bright. Excuse me while I get my sunglasses. Big date tonight with the missus?"

" Oh Jimany Jaminy you best believe it! Can you believe we've been married a year already? Why it seems just yesterday I was flat on my back with her gun against my neck..." Felix trailed off his cheeks taking a honey glow and his eyes dreamy.

Ralph snickered " Yea I think she just likes beating you knowing you can fix your face anytime you want."

Felix grinned taking Ralph's teasing in stride he knew the giant meant no malice. " How bout you and the princess? Doing anything today?"

Ralph shook his head. " Nope today she has a meeting. We'll be getting together tomorrow for a race. She wants me to help her build a new car." He turned then looked back at Felix who was heading to the train stop. " and it's PRESIDENT Vanellope von Schweetz Felix she really doesn't like being called princess you know."

Felix waved at him then paused " Er you doing anything brother? You want to come have a float with us?"

Ralph shook his head " No thanks I got a few things to work on in my shack, sides don't want to be a fifth wheel."

He groaned at the concerned look on Felix's face and hoped to heaven the little man was not going to try to set him up again.

" Felix it's fine. Just go please? If you make your wife wait she might come shoot me."

Felix grinned at his humor and then got on the train settling back contemplating the night ahead.

After Felix pulled out but before Ralph had a chance to get to his shack blue and red lights seemed to show up in the arcade.

He found himself staring at the screen. He couldn't see what was going on but there was enough commotion to disturb him. After a moment he shrugged and headed to the dump. Whatever it was didn't have anything to do with him. Ergo he put it from his mind. Whistling softly to himself he approached the stack of bricks that he had built up into a kind of walkway to his shack and he stopped in his tracks.

There were a pair of tennis shoes sticking out from behind the pile of bricks he had not sorted yet. He put a hand on his hip and scratched his head. He wasn't afraid exactly, this was his game and in his own game he could kick ass and nothing could kill him here but he was puzzled.

A thought came to him and he relaxed. Obviously Vanellope was pranking him. They had done that many times despite her not being able to leave her game she still managed to get others to carry out her pranks. Obviously bored with the thought of her meeting she had pulled a fast one on him.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. God he loved that kid. He stepped around expecting the shoes to be empty and was shocked to see they were attached to a pair of legs, which were attached to a body which was attached to a head.

There was a woman passed out in his dump. For a moment he stood there not sure what to do. She wasn't anyone he had ever seen before. She must have been some kind of carpenter like Felix since she had a bulky tool belt around her waist. Her face was even more incredible than Sergeant Calhoun's. The graphics in her game must have been crazy realistic even her clothes had texture. Her hair was white like snow and looked as soft as wool. Her face was young looking with laugh lines around her eyes and mouth, her eyes were slanted like some of the Ninja fighters in Flying Fist. Her nose was dainty her lips looked a bit wide but not so much as to make her look ugly. The more he stared the more details he picked up. She had 2 pairs of earrings in each ear. Her jeans while baggy were resting on her legs outlining long strong theighs attached to full hips. Her red hoodie hinted at a buxom but left alot to the imagination. She had some freckles on her nose. That he found charming.

" Um hello?" Ralph edged one of his large feet forward and nudged her shoe.

Nothing.

" Hey Helllooooo? Can you hear me?"

Nada.

Ralph wondered for a moment if he should get the Nicelanders involved. He quickly dismissed the idea. Without Felix around they tended to fall apart at the least bit of discord to their perfect world. The sounds outside the game caught his attention briefly.

" Patient has electrical burn down her arm. She's non responsive pulse is weak breathing is shallow Let's get her to a hospital."

" Let's move her out! "

There was clanking. A clatter of wheels as the gurney was brought down and then back up. He could see several shapes departing and the wail of a siren outside. Boy he hope Mr. Litpak was ok. Most of the games loved him. They were not so fond of his young son who seemed lazy. The older one was going to school to learn computer animation and they had gotten used to his staring at their graphics adjusting his glasses and taking notes.

All this was interesting but none of him helped him with the problem at hand. The woman. Who was she and why was she in his dump?

Ralph leaned all the way down and pressed his head to her chest. He could hear heartbeats so she wasn't from the zombie game unless she was one of the heroes. He knelt on one knee and carefully slid a large hand under her head checking for injuries. He couldn't find any.

He stood back up with a slight huff. He couldn't leave her out here. In the garbage. For granted his shack wasn't exactly a four star hotel and he hadn't built it with two in mind but he supposed he could let her have the bed and he could sleep outside. It might not be the most comfortable in the world but it would be like old times. A noise caused him to turn around. Q-bert, Curley, and the walking bomb stood slightly behind him waiting. Ralph could have slapped himself. Poker night. It was his turn to host. He'd forgotten. Again. He sighed.

" Sorry guys something came up." He waved his large meaty hand over his guest. " What do you make of this? Know her from anywhere? "

They all gave him negative answers. He sighed again then shrugged. He picked her up carefully and carried her to his shack. His friends followed curious.

He paused at the door with the woman dangling from his hands. She was about Calhoun's height and just as light with no armor on. He addressed the little group in front of him.

" Look she came from someplace. I'll take care of her for now but we need to get her back to her game before dawn. Q-bert can you start asking around in Tappers? Yea? Great Curly can you and da bomb check out central station? She's got to be a main character. Somebody somewhere is going to miss her."

The other characters made noises of agreements and hurried to the station. Ralph looked down at the burden in his arms...well ok she was light as a feather but he looked anyway again impressed by the graphics that made her up. He pushed open his door and ducked under the frame making his way to his bed. His shack was pretty modest since he had never needed anything extra before. His stump made up part of the roof and served as a chimney. There was a fireplace. A large red chair and a wide bed shoved up under the window so he could see outside NOT facing the apartment building.

He held her up with one arm using the other to pulled his patched quilted blanket down, it had been a present from Mary and bless her she had accidently made it too short but he didn't mind. He never got cold anyway. He laid the woman down and tucked the blanket around her. He figured he might bring Felix in on this. Maybe he could think up some way to help.

As he was rearranging the woman's arms on the bed something caught his attention. He slowly pulled up her right sleeve. Her arm from her middle finger down, around her wrist up as far as he could pull the sleeve was covered in a glowing network of cracks. No. Not cracks...they looked like thousands of tiny branches branching down from her arm to her hand. Ralph thought it looked rather pretty. He thought maybe she could shoot lightening or fire balls from her hands. He figured he'd find out soon enough. He went to get a wet rag for her head. That done he turned his chair around so he could face her. He picked up a paper that Gene had tossed and began reading it while watching over his unexpected guest.

-Real Life-

In the ambulance the paramedic were concerned about the young woman they had picked up from the arcade. Mr. Litwak had been called to observe the damage and had given them what information they had on the young woman. She wasn't responsive. Her pupils weren't responsive. Her heart beat, she breathed but she seemed to be deep in a coma. The fact she was alive at all was a miracle. The paramedic doubted she even knew what hit her. A lightning bolt had come down, blown a hole in a billboard, smashed through the window of the arcade, and struck the young woman as she was working on a game. A freak accident. This was the first he had seen anyone hit by lightening. Her arm had an ugly red branching burn that seemed to start at her middle finger and travel up to her shoulder. The burn was inside her body as opposed to outside.

They got a line in her and checked her for any other injuries. There were none except for the entrance wound on her shoulder. Of course an accident of this magnitude didn't need more injuries to make it bad. He filled out the paperwork quickly of her vitals. A burn doctor and neurologist were waiting at the hospital. The paramedic truly hoped the woman would wake up by dawn. It seemed a long way away.


	3. Chapter 3

-Real Life-

Dr. Donovan Malloy cautiously made his way to the neuro center of the hospital. He never moved too quickly for fear of knocking someone over. He was a big man. Some said monsteriously big. His hands and arms were thick as his legs. Kids in school had nick named him ape. If he where more defined in the muscles on his torso he could have passed for a professional body builder or wrestler. Being honest he HAD been a wrestler in school and a god damn good one. He never worked out he just took after his father, as his mother liked to say the family produced big men and smart women! He never failed to grin at that since his mother didn't pick a smart career, she was a artist and a darn good one too. He loved his momma.

As a doctor he had little time to work out so he had developed a bit of a gut. He found himself fiddling with his coat nervously trying to hide his gut some. He paused in front of a mirror and winced. As usual his broad round face was framed by a messy shock of thick brown hair with ginger highlights. He kept it crop short except on top where it stuck out in spikes no matter what he did to try to keep it tamed. He hastily smoothed in down trying hard to look professional. Sometimes people didn't take him seriously because of his slight baby face but damn it he was good doctor.

He had intended to become a pediatrician but during his training much to his embarrassment he had found himself crying over a little baby dying from cancer. That had done it for him. He had switched to neurologist.

Knowing he looked as professional as he ever would he opened the door to his patients room. He glanced at her chart and winced. One Daniel Mcdeal, 48 years old computer and video game technician divorced, no next of kin. Here because she had apparently taken a lightning strike right through her right shoulder down her arm and had been unresponsive since found. Who knew what kind of damage that had done?

Malloy frowned and walked up to the bed to look at her. He personally thought she was pretty and it was clear that somewhere along the lines her blood contained a bit of Asian flavor to it. She also managed to look younger then her 40 odd years. Her hair was snow white and he found himself wondering if the color was true or if it was dye. He studied her a moment longer placing his stethoscope against her chest. Her eyelashes were a pale almost platinum blonde.

Ok natural color then. Her heart sounded good her breathing was doing fine. Malloy sat back and tried to wake her keeping any eye on the EEG she was hooked up to.

" Mrs. Mcdeal? Ma'am? Can you hear me? Hello? Ok If you can hear me can you squeeze my fingers? No? How bout with this hand?"

He frowned at of the lack of response. Her face was that of a dreamer in perfect beautiful repose. He tried various stimuli next. Some where painful but she nether cried nor moaned or showed any response to him.

He ordered a CAT scan and an MRI so he could get a better idea of what was going on in that pretty head.

Finally he carefully lowered himself into to the chair. The chairs they had for doctors were not suited for his size and he had broken 2 already. The hospital had turned a blind eye to the destruction since he was one of the best they had and most of the patients loved him despite the fact he looked like a big simple country boy who had stumbled in and slipped on a doctors coat to play dress up. No doubt they thought he would look more at ease in a tree cutter's getup complete with heavy boots and overalls.

He hemmed a bit checking her chart again. They had her on pills to control her blood pressure which was spiking up and down but other than that and the coma she was in perfect health. He sat the chart down and pulled out his pen light to check her eyes again. Head cases were tricky and could change hour to hour. He opened her eyes and stared for a moment. She had the most beautiful crystal blue eyes he'd ever seen.

He briefly shined the light first in one eye than the other. No response. He sighed. " Look Mrs. Mcdeal I'm gonna be back to check you again. There's a few things I'm going to try, they won't be pleasant but I won't give up on getting you out of this coma." He picked her hand up and patted it wincing slightly at how small her hand was in his.

" Don't you fret none cause I'm damn good at what I do. You're young and strong and I just know you're going to pull through."

He didn't know any such thing but he also knew it never hurt to be optimistic for the patient. She might not be able to hear him but then again she might be able to. He personally believed that every patient had a place inside their mind that heard everything good or bad. Even if they didn't respond.

Dr Malloy backed up and quietly closed the door. To compensate for his size he had learned to move as silently as possible. An RN jumped slightly when she turned around and found him looming over her.

" Oh! Dr. Malloy I didn't hear you! How's our patient?"

Malloy shrugged a little bashfully. Beautiful women made him nervous. Well actually all women made him nervous.

" No change but I'll work with her and see if we can't get her awake and aware. Can you call me when her CAT scan and MRI results come in?"

The nurse beamed at him "Of course!"

He started to walk away then paused and turned back to her " I'm sorry I forgot to ask, how was your brother's wedding?"

The nurse beamed at him " It was steller! John the respitory specialist went with me. We had a blast!"

" Oh, that's great really!" Dr. Malloy nervously played with his notebook. He had half hoped that she would ask him to be her date but of course that had been wishful thinking on his part. He wasn't the sort of person women asked out. He was the ' nice guy.' The guy women introduced as a friend and he had a horrible suspicion most of his colleagues thought he was gay. Of course it didn't help he had a roommate who was gay but Thomas was his best friend and was a fine PA.

Still it irked him sometimes when his lady friends were crying on his shoulder about some asshole who had treated them badly and bemoaning about how there were no nice guys around even though they were soaking the big broad shoulder of one. He forced his attention back to the RN.

" I'll show you pictures from my phone if your in the cafeteria later! The cake and dress were to die for!"

" Oh that sounds great really! Well uh I better be on my way gotta do my rounds."

Malloy gave her a friendly wave and then made his way to the desk to pull up his records. He hoped Mrs. Mcdeal wasn't going to be one of his cold case files who would get moved to a nursing home never to open her eyes again. He rolled his shoulders nervously. That was almost to awful to think about.


	4. Chapter 4

It was snoring that woke her up. Daniel slowly opened her eyes. It took a moment for her to realize she was in a bed. She tensed. Damn she must have met up with her friend Jessie and gone bar hopping. She couldn't remember for sure but maybe she had gone back to Jessie's house and crashed on her bed because this sure didn't feel like her bed and it seemed way to big for Jessie's bed too now that she thought of it. However thinking hurt. The damn snoring hurt. She shifted and had to bite back a groan. Her right arm hurt like a bastard. In fact it took all her attention for a moment.

She raised her arm and looked at it pulling the sleeve up gently.

" The Hell...?" Daniel stared at the faintly glowing lines that branched all over her arm. A tattoo. One of those funky glow in the dark ones. Had to be. What the hell had she and Jessie done last night? Drank Sterno and hooked up with Hell's Angels?

She quickly patted herself down and sighed relieved that all her clothes were on even her belt. Her belt. Why was her utility belt on? She wouldn't go bar hopping in a utility belt. That was about as lame as you could get and even she wasn't that lame.

She looked up and her lips parted. The ceiling. The ceiling looked...well weird in a way she wasn't able to grasp. Actually shifting her eyes around everything looked kind of weird. Like she was on the set of a Lego movie or a Mine craft set. How bizarre. She might have been afraid but her headache and confusion kept her from freaking out.

The snoring caught her attention again and she carefully and slowly got herself into sitting position.

' Oh my God he's HUGE. '

Daniel gaped rudely at the man sitting in a chair. Again everything looked weird including him. He wore no shoes though she doubted he'd ever find a pair that would fit those huge feet. His legs were splayed out a paper was resting on his broad chest and his arms dangled off the chair each hand resting on the floor. They were too long to be normal hands. She couldn't see his face since it was tipped back and only his round chin and thick neck was facing her.

Daniel stumbled out of the bed. She felt weak and a bit woozy. She carefully stood up and glanced around. An idea came to her and it made her breath release in a woosh of relief. She was dreaming. She had fallen asleep fixing and updating some of the games for Mr. Litwak and now she was dreaming. Of course she was. She sighed and looked around with more interest. There was a broken mirror on the wall across from her and she walked up to it to check out her reflection.

' Cool! ' Daniel raised her hand and moved it around in front of her. She looked like Laura Croft! Well ok, not really, she didn't have the great bod and beauty that the legendary adventurer had but damn she looked good. Much better then she really did in real life. Only a few of her freckles showed up. The lines on her face were almost non existent. For some weird reason her graphic self was a bit better pixel wise then the game she was in but who was she to complain? She tried to leap up but merely stumbled. She held her hands up fingers spread wide. Nothing. She frowned and adopted a spider man move flicking her wrist. Still nothing.

' What no magic powers? I dreamed myself in a cool world with no weapons and no magic powers? God even asleep I'm a dweeb '

She took up a fighting stance baring her teeth and pointing imaginary guns to the mirror. She didn't really feel very strong. She tried for a meaner look wondering if maybe she could hulk out.

" What are you doing?"

Daniel stumbled and turned to the guy in the chair who was looking at her warily as if he wasn't sure she was mentally all there.

" Oh I'm ..I'm you know...trying to check out my magic powers."

The guy stretched and she nervously took a step back he really was big. A bit unkept looking too and in fact...very familiar...

" Oh My God!" Daniel threw her hands out in excitement then clapped them together eagerly " Oh godohmygodohmygod! I know you! You're Ralph! You're Wreck it Ralph!" She jumped up and down excited.

Ralph inched behind his chair. The lady sounded 2 shades in the wind.

" Uhhh do I know you lady?" He asked politely. Never let it be said he didn't have manners.

Daniel hurried over reached out and grabbed one of his big paws pumping it " Name's Daniel, you can call me Dani. Oh my God this is the best dream ever! When I was little I loved Fix it Felix Jr! Oh my Gosh can I meet him? Course I can this is my dream and I get to meet Felix maybe he'll represent my dad! MY dad could Fix anything!"

She looked around expectantly " Well? Where is he? "

Ralph scratched his head. The crazy lady had spoken so fast and said so many Oh My Gods he had gotten lost.

" Who?" He asked blankly.

" Fix it Felix of course! Where is he? I'm supposed to meet him!"

" Oh, so your a friend of Felix's?" Ralph eyed her. Something was NOT right about this. He was pretty sure if she was a friend of Felix he would have seen her around and he certainly wouldn't have forgotten her.

" This is my dream and I'm friends with whoever I want to be friends with." She proudly placed her hand so her hips and beamed at him.

Ralph shook his head more confused. Dream? What dream? Was she in a dream game like Little Nemo? That seemed plausible since the game had been plugged in only three days ago and no one had really seen anyone come out of that game. Apparently they were coded to just sleep all the time which Ralph thought was the most boring thing he had ever heard of and what kind of stupid game was that?

The woman was gazing up at him her face excited and he felt a slight twitch of annoyance that she apparently had her hopes set on Felix. Why did that twerp always seem to get the girls? He was married. You'd think other women games would leave him alone or risk a bullet from his gun toting bug killing wife. But noooooooo...it was still Felix this and Felix that and oh my God he was so adorable.

Blech.

He sighed reminding himself of the bad guy creed;

I am bad and that's good, I'll never be good and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be then me.

" Look umm..Dani was it? Felix is out with his wife. He'll be back before the arcade opens but listen; we REALLY need to find your game so your not caught outside of it. You don't want your game shut down do you? "

Dani gave him a blank look.

Ralph tried again " What...game...do...you.. come...from?"

Dani glared at him and crossed her arms. " Look. I'm not an idiot I understood you fine, I'm just waiting for my game to appear...that's it! Oh my God! "

Ralph winced he was really beginning to hate that phrase.

" So this is an adventure dream it's my job to find my game which is probably when I'll wake up! I havn't had such an awesome dream since I was...I dunno...6? "

She grinned " Do I get any weapons? "

Ralph snorted " Lady.."

" Dani. " she corrected

" Whatever look There's no weapons here ok? I am the weapon thank you very much. I can beat the stuffing pretty much out of everyone in the arcade."

Dani looked thrilled again and Ralph braced himself. Wait for it...

" Oh my God! Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! You're my partner! Wreck it Ralph is my buddy! This is so beyond cool! Let's go find some games!"

Ralph sighed his shoulders drooping a bit. He had been recruited by a mad woman to go game hopping when all he had wanted to do tonight was relax in his shack until the arcade opened.

Oh my God what else could go wrong?


	5. Chapter 5

-Real Life-

Dr. Malloy poked his head into Mrs. Mcdeal's room. She was alone. He had heard earlier that a friend of hers had shown up for a while. He had hoped that maybe a familiar and friendly voice might wake her but she was still lost to them.

Juggling his tray he placed it on a Her table which had been moved out of the way. He had decided to have dinner with her. He had no one to go home to most of his family lived out of state. He couldn't really enjoy dinner in the nurses lounge because no matter where he sat he took up so much room someone always got up to leave table.

Besides he admitted he kind of liked her company even if she wasn't responsive. He liked to imagine having deep conversations with her. He set his plate up consisting of a sub sandwich and settled into the chair freezing slightly when it creaked. Once he was sure it was ok he relaxed and began speaking to her.

"You know in two days there's going to be a eclipse. Have you ever seen one? No? Me neither." He took a bite and waited until he swallowed to continue. " You know if you wake up I'd be more then happy to take you out side in a wheelchair so we can watch it. Of course you might not be into astronomy."

He frowned taking another bite then brightened up again. " I'll bet you like reading. I'll ask your friend Jessie tomorrow what you like to read and then I'll read it to you. You don't have to worry about being alone your friend said she was coming every day and I can read to you before I go home. My cat won't mind. " He let out a hollow chuckle.

" I know your probably not into guys like me but I still wouldn't mind being friends if you wanted..maybe going out for a latte' my treat? "

She twitched and he perked up. Her lips parted and sigh came out. Other than that there was no further movement. Still he was thrilled at even that meager response. He stood up careful not to knock his tray down and checked her eyes and urged her to squeeze his fingers. As before there was no response. He smoothed her hair down. It was so white like snow and incredibly soft. Somehow with her lovely Asian features it made her look like a powerful force straight out of movie . He could even imagine her wielding a katana.

He chuckled bashfully. Him and his imagination. He sat back down to finish his sandwich.

" Well whatever the case may be I'm not giving up. I'm gonna be on call all night and I'll have you monitored. If you can just try to meet me halfway I think we can get this licked."

He collected his wrapper and bottle of tea and tossed in the garbage before walking up to the bed again and taking her small hand wincing again at how huge his hands look. He remembered what he had been called all his life...he probably DID look like an ape. He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. Never mind the self pity now. He patted her hand.

"Mrs. Mcdeal I'll be on call all night long. I promise you no matter what, I won't give up on you".


	6. Chapter 6

Dani was thrilled to be on the little train heading towards the central game station.

" This is more awesome then Epcot! "

Ralph who was sitting behind plastered a smile on his face. He had no idea what an Epcot was but if it made her happy he'd go along with it.

" They had these huge monorails! You could go every where in the park and OH! I'll bet I'm reliving my childhood! That's why this dream is so cool! It's because So many bad things have happened this is just my subconscious letting me know things are getting better! "

The train like unit stopped and Ralph held his hand out to help her up. Not that she needed it. She practically bounced out of her seat her face glowing her eyes bright and sparkling with good humor. It reminded him of Vanellope. Except his best friend was a child and this...well this was definitely a full grown woman. Her hair was coming undone from it's bun and snow white strands curled around her ears and framed her face and he was again struck by how real she looked. The graphics were crazy. She was probably made up of more pixels then his entire game.

They stepped through the doorway and to Ralph's annoyance the surge alarm went off.

" Aw come on!" He said throwing his hands up.

" What? What's wrong? " Dani glanced around and then stepped back when a man suddenly appeared wearing a uniform.

The gentlemen's eyes skipped over her briefly and settled on the annoyed man standing next to her.

" Name?"

" Al Capone." Ralph said sourly.

The surge protector gave him an unamused look.

Ralph sighed. " Wreck it Ralph."

" Where you coming from?"

" Fix it Felix Jr." Ralph kicked at the floor impatiently.

" Any fruits or vegetables?" The surge protector frowned at Dani. She looked familiar to him but of course he saw so many game characters she could have been anyone.

Ralph glared at him " Does she look edible?"

The surge protector froze in his writing not looking up.

" Why Ralph...where you going to eat me later tonight?" Dani gave him a slow grin.

Ralph looked confused for a moment " What does that mean was I going to...oh." His eyes widened in horror and his face flushed a deep red.

" Look, just forget I said that." Ralph muttered courtly one hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

" Uh huh. No way. I'm going to think about that all night and giggle to myself when I do." Dani gave him a cheeky grin.

" Great." Ralph muttered rolling his eyes.

The surge protector cleared his throat " Uh you have anything to decl...look just be on your way please." He disappeared.

Ralph clapped his hands together then cracked his knuckles. " So, uh what's your game about?"

Dani ignored him for a moment in favor of gaping around at all there was to see. She recognized almost all the characters having been a die hard gamer for a long time when she was little before things had gone bad.

" Oh my gosh! That's Mario and the princess! Look there's Qbert! Oh my God that's Dante! Isn't that the spooky chick from Silent Hill?"

Ralph shook his head and felt his lips quirk up slightly. Like a kid in a candy store. Her game had to be new. He tried to remember what new games had been brought in that week. He snapped his fingers.

" Hey uh Dani, what to go to Tappers for a drink? I'll bet we'll run into someone who knows were you belong."

Dani looked at him. She had to crane to look up at him a little. Well actually she had to crane a lot. She placed her hands on one of his and gave him a large smile. " I would love to have a drink with you! Can we go play some of the games afterwards? Please?"

Ralph frowned and shook his head. " Boy you really are new aren't you? No bad idea...if you die outside your game you don't come back. That's it, game over."

" Dani looked bowled over " Wow I knew I had a pretty good imagination but damn this is great. I should write a dream journal about this. I'll bet it would make one hell of story! So you can't die outside your game?"

She followed trying to keep up with Ralph's long strides.

" No you CAN die outside your game, but you won't come back. You'll be dead...like never come back dead as a doornail."

He glanced at her and realized she was galloping trying to keep up and he quickly slowed down. " Haven't you ever died in your game? "

Dani shook her head. " I've never died. My parents died. They didn't come back. None of my foster parents died there was a couple I wished would."

Ralph walked through the central door to Tappers. As he expected the surge protector halted him. Really he was giving serious thought to make a spectacle of himself but he didn't want to be forbidden to leave his game. He'd go stark raving mad if he got stuck there all the time but really?

Once in Tapper's he bought her a drink and again watched her gaping around excited by everything and everyone she saw. It was rather refreshing. She turned her attention to him and he felt pinned by those blue eyes.

" Do you have a girlfriend Ralph?"

So much for refreshing her question caused him to spit out his drink. He cringed while tapper the bartender glared at him briefly before cleaning up the mess.

" Uh no...no I don't...I'm not you know...No one...I haven't. Uh why do you ask? "

Dani rested her hand on her hand. " Just making conversation." She reached up and let her hair down so it cascaded down one shoulder like a fallen snow drift. She took off her tool belt still making conversation.

" I had a husband but he decided that anything he wanted was something better then me. The sucky thing is I had given up everything to move in with him."

She pulled up the edge of her red hoodie and Ralph found himself tugging at his neckline. Was she going to just strip right there in front of them? Why couldn't she have done this in his shack where he could at least have tried to some lack luster charm on her. He realized he was getting distracted from the conversation.

" See he got everything. The apartment, my car, the cat, all I was left with was my clothes. That two timing bastard even pawned my tools." She folded her hoodie. Underneath she wore a white sleeveless t shirt. She tossed her hair around and reached up to fluff it. Her face was screwed up into a sneer.

" I got the last laugh though...the bimbo he left me for? She cleaned him out and left him homeless and do you know what? That craven asshole tried to get me to take him back!"

Ralph was still staring at her tugging at his overalls. He had missed alot of what she had said but if he had been the propertier of that alabaster skin, shining blue eyes, and long white hair he would have crawled on his hands and knees to get her back...actually he wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake in the first place. If he were ever lucky enough to get a woman who didn't mind living in a dump and his smell it would be an honor to worship the floor she walked on.

He realized she was staring at him. Bumpkins she'd asked a question " Uh I'm sorry? "

" Oh don't be sorry. We all have our cross to bear." She turned back to the bar and picked her drink up.

" It just hurt because I lost my job when I lost my home with him and my only transportation. Now I update computers and video games and I'm damn good at what I do."

Ralph pulled his mind back to the conversation. " So your game is a fix it game? Like Fix it Felix?"

" Well not really I don't get to have you around but I fix my share of mother boards and upgrade hardware...that kind of thing."

Ralph stared at her his drink suspended halfway between the bar and his mouth. Was she maybe like the surge protectors? Maybe she went game to game and fixed glitches? He'd never heard of that before but was it possible?

" Ralph! Hey brother how are ...oh sorry didn't mean to interrupt."

Ralph almost groaned out loud. Felix. The little man's timing was always bad. Then to his horror Dani leaped up and and threw her arms around Felix who looked stunned.

" Ohmygodohmygodohmygod I knew it I knew I'd see you sooner or later!"

Ralph cringed and glanced around and sure enough there stood Sergeant Calhoun looking more then a little annoyed and she was packing iron as usual. Felix gave her a nervous smile trying to pry Dani off him.

" um uh Ma'am? Uh...do I ...oof.." he pried her arms from around him again " Do I know you? "

The joy on Dani's face faded as she studied the little man. " This isn't right." she muttered " you don't look anything like my father. Shouldn't my own dreams show me what I want to see?"

Calhoun cleared her throat and tossed a lock of blonde hair away from her face. Felix took the opportunity to grab her hand and snuggle up against her. " This is my wife Calhoun. She's from Hero's Duty! "

They stared at Dani who looked slightly crushed. Ralph put a large hand on her shoulder " This is Dani, uh she's from a new game but she's lost. I'm hoping we can find her game before he arcade opens."

Dani held her hands up for a moment. " This isn't right...this is my dream...my mom and dad are supposed to be here but your not my dad and your not my mom and...I'm alone here." She glanced around suddenly seeming to realize that all the characters were game characters and not one person from her life was to be found. Suddenly the dream didn't seem so good anymore...in fact it seemed ominous and promised solitude except for video games just like before when she had been trapped but no she didn't want to think about that time in her life never wanted to think about it not even in a dream.

Firmly she shook her head. " No way Jose' this is my dream and God darn it I'm going to make it a happy one!" She abruptly leaped up and ran with her belt tucked under her arm. Somewhere her parents would appear in her subconscious and she would be able to tell them how sorry she was and how badly she missed them. She would not let this dream turn into a memory dredged up from it's half buried grave in the dark places of her mind. Normally she took pills to help her sleep and keep the dreams at bay.

She heard Ralph call for her startled but she ignored him somewhere in this childlike setting was a memory waiting for her. A good memory one that would be so real she would smell her father's cologne and feel her mother's soft hair against her cheek. It would not be a memory of hours force din front of a TV in a home that was not hers while she lived out a pathetic childhood living through games as she tried to survive the nightmare her childhood had turned into.

She could do this or she would die trying.

" Hey! " Ralph almost fell off the chair he was in. Cursing hard enough to leave Felix blushing he grabbed her red hoodie and stumbled forward. He hurried to the door calling back to Felix and his wife.

" Don't stand there like idiots help! She's gonna get herself killed! "

Calhoun sighed and took off after him with Felix hopping ahead of her.

" So much for a romantic night!" She pulled out her gun just in case they wound up in some game where danger lurked.

" This might just be better and I won't have to cut her arms off after all!"


	7. Chapter 7

-Real Life-

Dr. Malloy yawned. He had gotten up earlier then usual to check on Mrs. Mcdeal. Dawn hadn't even started lighting the sky yet. There hadn't been much change in her status but the nurses had reported she had started to show some signs of life.

Like now. Her eyes fluttered and she moaned softly. It was a heart breaking sound and he hoped she wasn't in any pain. Everything had come back good. Her CAT scan and MRI were normal her x-rays showed no broken bone. Just in case he had ordered her a very minor pain killer.

He sat next to her bed. " Mrs. Mcdeal? It's me Dr. Malloy.."

The lovely woman in front of him actually shifted by herself in the bed tossing lightly as if suffering a night mare.

He caught her hand and began rubbing the top of her hand gently while talking to her.

"Mrs. Mcdeal? Can you open your eyes for me? Can you squeeze my fingers?"

Suddenly she did squeeze his fingers. Thrilled he asked her to do it again. She didn't. Reflex action no doubt he thought disappointed.

She let out that pitiful noise again. He sighed and then leaned forward to talk to her "It'll be ok, really it will...you're trying to come back and that's good. When you're on your feet I'll take you anywhere you want to go. My treat. Nothing romantic you know just friends but we could go sight seeing, deep sea fishing, hiking...well if your able to hike..there's this fancy little coffee shop right around the corner from here and they make the best jelly donuts in the whole world! Hey! I even know a comedy club that's loads of fun!"

She had gone still though her face was tilted towards him. She looked thoughtful though he supposed it was his own wishful thinking.

But just in case; " I'm a good guy Mrs Mcdeal. Hey you know what? We'll take your friend along! I'll treat both of you! How about that? Won't that be fun? So please please wake up cause I can't think of anything I'd rather do now then make you smile!"

He watched her a moment longer holding her hand. Nothing. He sighed sadly. He patted her hand gently and then stood up to leave. He nearly knocked over a dark haired dark eyed beauty standing in the doorway.

"Doctor I'm going to hold you to everything you just said to my best friend." She crossed her arms and gave him a look he could't read."

Her scowled at her. " Ma'am I assure you, I meant every word!"

He stepped out and headed towards his desk to look over his other cases.

Dani's friend looked after him thoughtfully. He wasn't really handsome but he was cute in a big rough country bumpkin kind of way. She decided that this might be just what she had been looking for to set Dani up with. They were best friends and by God Dani deserved someone nice and kind guy to pamper her a little bit. With a firm nod She went into Dani's room to tell her about her plan.

-Game World-

"Aww which way did she go?!" Ralph looked around. He had the advantage of height so he simply looked over everyone's heads trying to spot the tell tale white hair.

" I see her!" He hurried forward bumping into people apologizing as he went until he was behind her.

" Dani!" Ralph put a hand on her shoulder. He frowned disappointed when he saw Queen Elsa from the Disney game. Her sister was walking with her and gave him an equally confused look.

Felix stepped in quickly " I'm sorry ladies we mistook you for a friend of ours we're trying to find."

The lovely ladies glanced at each other shrugged and continued on their way.

" Oh this is hopeless she could be anywhere! Felix what if she went into one of the dangerous games and died?!"

"Calm down brother!" Felix held up is hands making soothing motions. " Look we'll just ask the surge protectors. If anyone would know where she went he would!"

" Right! Of course why didn't I think...here! " Ralph jumped into a doorway and sure enough the alarm went off and the dour surge protector appeared with his little pad and pencil in his hand.

" Name?"

" Uh listen this is really important we've lost someone..." Ralph began.

"Name?"

"Oh come on!" Ralph growled throwing his meaty hands up.

" Name?"

"Felix jr." Felix said stepping in.

The surge protector gave him a look " Not you sir you may go."

" Look, my name is Calhoun and there's trouble afoot." She rested her gun on her hip so it was pointing more or less at him.

The surge protector blinked at it.

" You know it's illegal to threaten or harm a ...hey!"

Ralph grabbed up the little man and shook him briefly " We've lost someone! If they don't make their game by dawn that game is getting unplugged!"

The surge protector frowned and then squeaked out " Put me down!"

Calhoun stepped forward and poked a finger at him " Not till you answer one or two questions of ours buster."

Ralph shook him again " Yeah!"

Felix quickly stepped up hoping to prevent violence. Ralph looked ready to blow a gasket and Calhoun...well she never backed down from a fight and it looked like it was about to get ugly.

" Look there was a high definition character that came running out of Tappers! She had on a white shirt and she was carrying a tool belt! But not like mine! Oh and white hair! But she wasn't old it wasn't like that kind of white hair! And she might have been crying but not really crying..."

"Felix shut up already!" Ralph growled.

" Right right." Felix said taking a deep breath " Anyway my brother here is friends with her and she doesn't remember what game she belongs to! Can you please please help us out?"

" Put me down!" Ralph dropped him. The surge protector stood up dusting himself off annoyed. " Yes I saw her. She nearly knocked over several characters." He waved his hand " She ran into Pac Man. Hey!"

All three characters rushed off without looking back.


	8. Chapter 8

Once inside Pac Man all of them took the pixilated look of the game. Ralph hurried to the center square that served as a meeting room for Bad Anon a therapy group for bad guys to help them cope with their lot in life.

He burst in and saw the very ghost he was looking for.

" Clyde! Sweet mother Mary I'm so glad I caught you!"

Clyde floating in one space looked confused.

" Ralph? There's no meeting yet brother and the arcade's gonna open in about 10 or 15 minutes what are you doing here...is that Felix? "

Felix smiled nervously and waved.

Calhoun stepped up.

" Listen up flying wonder there's a woman who came running in here that doesn't belong in your game. We need to find her pronto so why don't you get your boys ready and help us look through this maze?."

Ralph was huffing catching his breath " Yea..yeah what she said."

Clyde frowned " I don't get it, did someone go turbo?"

Ralph threw his hands up " What is everyone fixated on that manic? No she's not going Turbo she's just really really lost! "

Clyde abruptly made himself blue signaling the other ghost. Pac man also followed curious as to see what was disturbing his game. Felix being friends with Pac Man explained the best he could what had happened.

" So what does she look like?" Clyde asked standing at the entrance to the room.

" Well, she's beautiful, and uh she has white hair like new fallen snow and the most incredible blue eyes you've ever seen and uh I'm pretty sure she's related to Laura Croft cause she's you know..." Ralph made an hourglass with his hands.

He realized everyone was a staring at him. For some reason smothered grins covered their faces.

" Well she does!" He said defensively.

Felix hurriedly conferred with Pac Man. They divided up the maze trying hard to make it as fast a search as possible with the opening of the arcade looming before them.

Clyde and Ralph ran off to the left splitting up to cover corners meeting again in the main hallway and then splitting up again occasionally hitting dead ends. Frustrated Ralph punched through a dead end and suddenly came face to face with the woman he was looking for.

She sat up against a wall her knees drawn up and forlorn look on her face as she stared at nothing.

" Hey HEY! I found her." He hurriedly knelt down next to her. " We gotta go now the arcade will be open any minute!"

" I don't care." Dani said softly.

Ralph huffed annoyed. He saw Felix Pac Man and Calhoun were watching him. Whelp there were times being bad guy was all you could be.

He bent over picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

" Hey! Put me down! Stop! Put me down you creep! " She pummeled him with her fist and kicked him and it barely registered since her hands were soft and so were her shoes. Calhoun looked amused but Felix looked horrified to see the woman being carried out of the game like a sack of rice.

" Ralph! Brother what are you doing man?!"

Ralph glared at him with Dani still kicking and screaming and making a spectacle out of them. Even Pac Man and the ghosts were all staring at him open mouthed.

Ralph held his large hand up ticking off points while he counted.

" One I'm getting her out of this game since she wasn't inclined to leave on her own. Two I'm going to take her to my shack and tie her up if I have to. Three tomorrow when the arcade closes I'm gonna find her game and carry her there if she refuses to go. " He grunted as she managed to knee him in the gut : ..and actually number 4..." He slapped her rump with a sharp report.

Dani's angry outburst died away into a squeak. Anger and embarrassment flushed her face. " You...You swine! How could you hit a lady? That is so low! "

Ralph jostled her and turned to finish walking down the length of the tunnel leading to the game center.

" That? That was a love tap. If you bite me, kick me, or just continue to act like a brat I'll treat you like one." He rested his hand on her bottom. Not moving it but keeping it to where she could be reminded how easily he could abuse her rump if he really wanted to.

The alarm went off and the surge protector appeared. He glanced with little interest at Ralph then did a double take.

" Uh..."

Ralph growled annoyed.

" Ralph, coming from Pac Man going to Fix it Felix Jr, no fruits vegetables and I declare I'm taking a friend of mine to her game where I'll proceed to spank her bottom and put her in time out if she throws things and just generally acts like a baby. Can I go now?"

" Uhh..." The surge protector glanced at Felix and Calhoun who tried their best to look innocent and normal. Calhoun couldn't help but to smile. The whole debacle was the funniest thing she'd seen in a while.

The surge protector walked behind Ralph to look at the woman and found that she had propped an elbow on his shoulder to rest her head on and was tapping her fingers impatiently on his back.  
He frowned.

" You look like that woman..."

"Oh My God can we please go? This is embarrassing!" Dani hissed.

The surge protector shook his head then quickly screwed his face back into a dead pan look.

" Yes of course...carry on."


	9. Chapter 9

She was giving him the cold shoulder. He could not believe she was being high and mighty for trying to protect her and get her back to her own game. Wherever that game was.

Felix and Calhoun shared a passionate kiss which made Ralph roll his eyes while he waited. Dani had become agreeable enough to walk with them rather then be carted here and there on Ralph's large shoulder like a sack of grain.

Felix hurried to his side of the game out of site until it was time for him to make an appearance which would be AFTER Ralph wrecked the place. Ralph took Dani to his shack and pointed one large finger at her.

" Now look, I don't care if you hate me but you better not cause my game any trouble hear? There's good folks here that could get hurt or become homeless if you do something stupid to shut down my game! Not to mention I'm wrecking a building ok? That's dangerous and you're not Felix if you get hit with any debris it might kill you alright?"

Dani gave him a unreadable look.

Ralph sighed frustrated and ran his hand through his already messy hair. " Look I just don't want you to die ok?"

Dani sat on his bed and crossed her arms. " Fine I won't do anything to hurt anybody Ralph but honestly...I think I'm already dead. "

She glanced away her eyes getting dewy with tears.

Ralph's feet immediately began to twitch and he very much wanted to follow their warning and get the hell out of here before she started crying. He didn't even have a handkerchief on him.

" Ok um look we can have a therapeutic conversation after the arcade closes ok?"

Tears ran down her face.

" We can even go to Tapper's after ward with Felix and Calhoun if you want! "

More tears.

" Aw come on how bad can it be?!"

She began sobbing softly. Ralph groaned and he glanced around looking for inspiration. He patted himself quickly trying to find a tissue, rag, or anything. Finally he knelt down with a sigh and just pulled his shirt up and dried her tears. Then he took one of her small hands in his and looked directly into her shiny blue eyes. Her tears had made them as deep as gems.

" Ok...look, I promise, no matter what, no matter how long it takes, I'll help you fix this...this...uh whatever this is." He used his broad thumb to wipe away another tear. " I swear it."

She gave him a watery grin. " My knight in shining overalls?"

Ralph puffed his chest out " Yea just like that and uh by the ways these overalls have seen a lot of duty."

She raised her brows " That sounds kind of gross Ralph."

Ralph frowned and stood up dropping her hand " Not that kind of duty! Sheesh is everyone into diaper jokes or something?"

" Uh anyway My shift is starting there's some stuff Gene threw out that you can read while you wait or uh there's a deck of cards above the fireplace for you know card games maybe you could I dunno play with the bricks..."

" Ralph! I'll be fine just go." Dani turned back to the wall.

Ralph hesitated a moment but left softly closing the door behind him.

Once she was alone Dani laid her head in her knees and cried feeling like her heart was breaking. Her excitement at what had seemed to be a truly cool dream unlike the depressing lackluster ones that plagued her was gone. Her feeling like her childhood was being relived without everything that had happened to stomp every innocent trait out of her and leave her hard and cold was gone. Most of all, she cried because she truly feared now that it might not be a dream which could only mean one thing. She was dead and was in hell where she would never see her parents again.

-Real Life-

Jessie frowned down at her best friend. Her hair was oily since it was hard to wash her being comatose and it stuck around her face in white spikes in a look that many teenagers tried to get at hair salons. She was sweating lightly smelling like cherry blossoms which was her soap and shampoo of choice. The day was just beginning and as usual Dr Malloy made his first stop to Mrs. Mcdeal's room. He found he liked hearing about her, she sounded like an interesting and fun woman albieght apparently too nice.

He gave Jessie a friendly smile " How is she?"

" She's crying!"

Malloy frowned and took out his pen light. True to her words there were tears streaming down his patients cheeks. He carefully opened each eye to check for a reaction and found none. He frowned feeling helpless.

" Well isn't not uncommon for people in a coma to cry. I've heard some laugh even talk. But it's usually reflexes we can't explain. Uh did you bring any? "

Jessie opened her large bag and brought out three books that had been Dani's favorites.

Dr. Malloy looked at them and chuckled. " Romance novels? Really" ? I was expecting I dunno Shakespeare maybe? " He looked at one particular " Ah one of my favs. The Phantom of the Opera. Did she ever go see the musical?"

Jessie shook her head. " No. I think she would have liked to, but when she had the money she didn't have the time and to be honest when she did have money her asshole husband would take off with it.

Dr Malloy frowned setting the books aside on the bedside table. " Well I'm sorry to hear that. IS there anyone else that can come visit her? Family?"

Jessie shook her head. " No her parents died when she was 6 and she got shuffled through the foster system."

By her tone Dr. Malloy decided not to pursue that line of questioning yet. " Well uh does she have any pets she close to? "

Jessie shook her head digging in her purse for her vapor. " Nope asshole took her cat to."

Dr. Malloy glanced at the woman on the bed appalled. What on earth did this woman have to fight for? One had to have the will to live in order to live he firmly believed that. Otherwise it was too easy to let go.

Jessie puffed a few times watching the doctor. She admitted she liked big guys. If nothing else Dani had certainly gotten what could have been a hunky doctor. A bit of weight off him so that his cheeks and chin weren't so round and his muscles popped out more ...well heck he could be hot. She inhaled some vapor smirking slightly wondering about that old adage about big hands and big feet.

She suddenly realized he was looking at her arms crossed over his chest hands tucked in his armpits bent slightly at the waist to try to make himself smaller. He didn't look offended at having caught her ogling him however he merely looked slightly amused.

" Thank you Jessie for bringing the books if you can think of anything else please let me know. Now if you'll excuse me I must make my rounds."

" Oh sure no problem!" Jessie waved at him as he slipped out the door deftly dodging an RN who walked by.

Jessie leaned down to whisper in Dani's ear " Ok BFF here wake the hell up and snatch this guy up! If not I might try him myself...well maybe not he looks more like a long term family guy and you know me and men but damn hunnie you are missing some major points not talking or anything."

Jessie stood up and watched her friend a moment longer. No response. Jessie drooped slightly then gathered her bag together. She had a shift at a diner that she worked at starting soon. She glanced back one more time at Dani.

" God kid please, I miss you so much! Don't become sleeping beauty please?!" She smoothed Dani's hair down and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.


	10. Chapter 10

To Dani's surprise it wasn't as boring as she had thought it might be. She climbed onto the roof of Ralph's shack and watched them in action. She could see a distorted view of the kids gleefully sending Felix from broken window to broken window. From that side they saw the pixilated antique game but from this side, the side Dani was on, she saw the pixels come to life.

On the outside the building was as flat looking as a piece of cardboard something that any idiot could smash up. On this side she saw the bricks, the metal, the glass she could see the intense concentration on Ralph's face and the way his hands smashed through the building as if it was made of cardboard. She watched the bricks crack, she saw the way his face flushed and the muscles on his arms shoulders and chest bulge. His knuckles made actual indents when he smashed a wall.

Compared to the power Ralph had Felix suddenly seemed more like a joke to her even though he had always been her and her father's favorite character. Her father had told her once that a good carpenter could build the world. Felix didn't build a world though. His hammer did. She suddenly seemed to gain an understanding that without the hammer Felix couldn't even replace a sink drain. She climbed down and began gathering debris.

She glanced at the pile of bricks in front of her. She had started building a fire pit for lack of anything to do. The magazines held little interest to her since she didn't know the lifestyles of the highest played games and she didn't care. solitaire had kept her occupied for all of an hour. She had been raised to be productive. When she had a home she had nurtured it and turned it into a beautiful peaceful place with a Japanese garden in the back and a Koi fish pond. Her Bonsai trees had been cherry blossoms and when they bloomed her back yard exploded with pinks, greens, and blues like something out of a fairy tale.

Damn her husband for managing to get his name on everything and take hers off all the while telling her it was so he could take care of her if something happened. She being an idiot had believed he had her best interest at heart. She hadn't cried when he divorced him. No her tears had come when she had gone home to get her things. Her Japanese garden was gone. Gutted. Roses with weeds every where tried valiantly to bloom. Obviously the floozy who had taken her husband hadn't the faintest idea how to care for a garden. Even her pond had been emptied and converted into a hot tube. It had been the dumbest thing she had ever seen barely big enough for two people.

She had managed to leave before bursting into tears on the bus heading for Jessie's house to stay until she got back on her feet.

She began stacking up the bricks that she had gathered. They were all the same size and roughly the same shape and if properly stacked they would connect together like a puzzle. Jessie had been a true friend and had let her stay until she got another job she could ride the bus too. She had thought things would work out smoothly but she was wrong. Jessie liked men...alot of men. She had no qualms about bringing home one guy telling him he was her teddy and then the net night bringing home another guy and telling HIM that he was her teddy. Dani wasn't sure how she did it. She loved Jessie and Jessie was beautiful in the face no doubt. However Jessie was heavy. Dani didn't think this was an issue because with beauty who cared if someone wasn't as svelte as a gazelle? But there had been alot of drama among other friends, well ok, people who called themselves friends about Jessie's weight and her ex's got downright nasty about the body they had availed themselves too and Dani had felt the need to defend her every time getting involved in cat fights online and off.

On top of that Jessie's men made clear they wanted her to themselves. Her nerdy white haired friend was not wanted unless she intended to join in the party. Dani hadn't been concerned sure that Jessie would never let a guy push her around. Then it had happened. Jessie had fallen in love with some big hunky biker. At first things had been fine and Dani had even liked the guy. Then he started hitting on her. She had ignored it for Jessie's sake. One night drunk he had cornered her and scared her pretty badly with his manhandling. That had been it. Dani had told Jessie and Jessie...had thrown her out.

Dani didn't know what hurt worse. The fact Jessie had turned her back on her like everyone had or that Jessie had thrown her out knowing she wasn't sure if she had anywhere to go.

The first row of bricks was done. Dani carefully ran her hands around the circle checking for loose bricks. They fit perfectly. She began adding the second row her mind still wondering.

Jessie's hunky biker had gone to jail the next year for sex with a minor. The minor in question had claimed raped event though the cops had found explicit love letters and nude photos she had sent the guy. Jessie had been devastated. For a long time she didn't contact Dani. Finally she had broken down and gone to the shitty little apartment that Dani had fixed up to live in and apologized and asked her to come back. Dani had refused. She had found she preferred the solitude.

Dani had been pegged everything under the sun in her life. A trouble maker. A liar. A slut. An unwanted brat who should have been aborted. A waste of space. A loser. To have the last person she loved and trusted turn their back on her had been the last straw. She had forgiven Jessie and they had become friends again but Dani never forgot.

Dani gritted her teeth briefly as her knuckles scraped the side of a brick. She had done two more rows. She stood back and eyed it. Then she began trudging back and forth filling the bottom with gravel. She carefully scraped it flat making sure it was even. She did every project as if her father himself were looking over her shoulder.

She glanced back at the game and winced as Ralph was thrown from the building. It seemed strange to wonder if it hurt him. Obviously they felt something or Felix wouldn't be married. She sighed and brushed the dust off her hands and then went to find some wood. That took a little digging but when she was done she had a very neat pile of wood in the middle of the fire pit.

" Hey that's pretty classy! "

Dani jumped slightly and turned around. " Ralph! Lord above don't sneak up on me I almost died of heart failure!"

Ralph gave a nervous sounding laugh looking from the fire pit to her and back.

" So...huh...fire pit right? It looks great!"

Dani smiled placing her hands on the small of her back " I was thinking, hot dogs, marshmallows, drinks, maybe have Q-Bert and gang join us for some songs and story telling..."

" Ohh well yea that would be great just not tonight I kinda gotta meet someone I promised her I'd help her build a go kart for her game." and he had no hot dogs or marshmallows and he wouldn't be able to sit through Q-Bert's singing. He'd have to hit Mary up to get some stuff. No way was he pulling anything out of the garbage in front of her to roast on an open fire. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her.

She was sweating for one thing. Her white sleeveless shirt stuck to her body out lining what looked like a sweet pair of blue lacy brassiers. Her pants were hanging low on her hips exposing a lacy bit of under ware that apparently matched. He began smacking his hands nervously trying to look anywhere but her.

The fire pit was great. He had never thought about one but now that he had one he found he was really really excited to have it. He could even envision some of the Nicelanders and Felix coming over to sit around a fire. Mary could sing and so could Felix. Mary had even whispered to him once that when Gene was drunk enough he sang like a sailor. She was wearing matching undergarments. He felt himself break into a sweat. Great.

Ralph rubbed her face roughly with one hand the other resting on his hip. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. He looked at her again. Sweet mother Hubbard her hair had fallen down and it seemed to float like a cloud around her curling sweetly on her shoulders making it look like she was in a strapless itty bitty white shirt.

" Ralph? Helloooo? Earth to Ralph? " Dani held her hands out " Did you hear me? Can I go with you? I'd love to see you make a car that sounds like alot of fun!"

" Uhhhh...yea...sure...I mean I'm not that good at it but it can be fun..." one lacy blue strap of her bra slid down her arm and he coughed hard into his hand.

I am a bad guy. It sounded like Sateen on his shoulder.

I'm not THAT kind of a bad guy he retorted to himself. I'm a kids game.

True but you're NOT a kid! His inner demon/Sateen replied thoughtfully. Ralph gritted his teeth into a tight nervous smile.

" Yea uh why don't you get dressed and uh...we'll go to "Sugar Rush" we can't stay all night cause uh well we still gotta find your game..."

She slid her strap slowly back up her arm and rolled her shoulder to settle it in place. Then she began fanning herself by taking the front of her shirt and popping it away from her body and letting it fall back in place. At his height he had an excellent view.

" Do I really need the hoodie? I mean ...I'm just soooo hot."

Ralph felt slightly dazed " uhhhh right..yea I'll say you're real hot."

" Why thank you Ralph." She beamed at him holding her shirt away from her front and catching his eyes. Her own were glinting with laughter.

Ralph groaned and threw his hands up " Oh you little Minx! That was totally not nice! I'm a kids game! What are you trying to do anyway? Give me heart failure? "

" Ralph how old are you? " Dani asked seriously.

" Me? Well Game wise I'm 31, code wise I'm like 45."

She nodded up at him again her face suddenly unreadable " Ok let me go get my hoodie, then we can visit your girlfriend and make her car..."

" She not my girlfriend she's just my friend sides she really is a little kid."

Dani relaxed suddenly she was more perky than she had been . " Ok then be back in a jiffy! "

She bounced cheerfully back to his shack leaving him staring befuddled after her. He suddenly seemed to hear Sateen's voice again. He was going to have to talk to that guy in private at the next bad anon meeting.

' Ralph my man...she was totally jealous two thumbs way way up you big smashing hunk! '

Ralph shook his head covering his face with his hands. " No, no, and no. What would a woman like that want with a guy like me anyway?"

Just as fast as he said that he responded cutting off any all inner voices : "Don't you dare answer that!"


	11. Chapter 11

Ralph found some peace of mind once Dani had her hoodie and tool belt on. Not that she still wasn't pretty. And being honest with himself he kept thinking about that lacy blue strap sliding sensually down her creamy shoulder before she slowly slid it back up.

" You ok Ralph? You look...flushed. Your not getting sick are you? Can you get sick?"

" I'm fine, I'm just...gassy." Ralph glanced away as the little train stopped at the doorway to Fix it Felix JR and the game central station beyond. Ralph got up and again offered his hand to help him down. He could almost hear his momma,

" Now Ralph you mind yer manners to the other ladies like a good boy."

He smiled a little. He knew his back story had been programmed but he still felt love in his heart when he thought about his mom. His mom had been so...an alarm went off.

" Gosh darn that little..." He trailed off while the Surge protector appeared. Honestly did this guy EVER even pull anyone else?

" Name?"

" Wreck it Ralph coming from Fix Felix Jr, going to Sugar Rush, no fruits and vegetables, and I still hate you."

The surge protector nodded. He glanced up and froze. The woman with the white hair...

He stepped forward almost rudely stepping into her personal space to adjust his glasses and look at her better.

" Name?"

" Uh Daniel Mcdeal everyone calls me Dani."

" Where are you from?"

Dani glanced behind her thinking maybe the sign had been her imagination but no, Fix it Felix Jr was displayed in big letters. She could understand now why Ralph got so annoyed.

" Fix It Felix..."

" YOUR game miss. What game are you from? I've seen you someplace but I don't remember you coming from any games."

" Oh well I'm not from any game." Dani said glancing at Ralph. He merely crossed his arms looking annoyed at the surge protector.

" If your not from any games why are you here" The surge protector pulled out his walkie talkie.

" Because I'm dead and this is hell." Dani replied. The surge protector stopped with the walkie talkie part way to his mouth. He gave Ralph a ' is she seriously nuts? ' look.

"Yea! She's a um...bonus..level...uh specter...from uh Mortal combat! Yeah! But since... you know... she is only bonus level so she doesn't really consider herself part of the crowd you know. She doesn't get unlocked often"

He placed one large hand on her shoulder " I'm just taking her out and about ...you know...to get her away from the bone yard and you know spooking causes a fierce thirst so figured we go to uh Tappers..."

" You're dating a ghost?!" the surge protector put his radio up and then eye balled Ralph looking slightly amused.

" Well what if I am? who are you dating?" Ralph dropped his hand and took hold of hers hoping she wouldn't pull away. He glanced over at her and bit his tongue. She was wearing a blank gazing into the distance look swaying a little back and forth Trying to appear ghost like. It looked ridiculous but he couldn't laugh. Laughing now would give up the Ghost. Again he had to smother his mirth.

The Surge protector no longer looked interested. " You wouldn't know her Ralph. Ma'am do you have anything to declare?"

" Boo." Dani said in a dead pan voice.

If Ralph had bit his tongue any harder he would have bit it in two.

The surge protector sighed " Carry on please."

After he dispersed Ralph and Dani looked at each other and then burst into laughter.

Dani held her hands up, made en evil face and made her fingers look like claws " Ooohhhhh have you seen the ghost of me? Long white sheet with the eyes cut out! Boooo-OOOOOO."

" Alright! ALRIGHT! seesh you can't sing now that was scary." Ralph chuckled shaking his head. " Alright let's go."

Dani was quickly once again enthralled with the game characters walking around. Ralph was content to walk slow and let her look around promising her she could meet some of the game characters when they were done at "Sugar Rush." She kept touching him. He didn't know if it was accident or on purpose or it was just his lucky day. He wished heartily that he could read body language better.

Her hand would brush against his, sometimes her would lightly bump into his arm and a few times she tossed her hair out of her way and billowy white mass would brush the expose skin on his neck and cheek.

They finally stopped at 'Sugar Rush's entrance. Ralph stepped through bracing himself for the surge alarm to go off to his shock it didn't.

Dani gasped in awe when they stepped onto a rainbow taffy bridge. 'Sugar Rushes' theme song played cheerfully in the background and there was a forest of candy cane trees as far as the eye could see. She could see in the distance a race in progress.

" This is amazing! Well a little garish but still this is so beautiful!"

Ralph glanced around. He always felt a little old in ' Sugar Rush ' and the scenery really didn't do anything for him. The sound of a car coming up the rainbow bridge caught his attention. He almost rolled his eyes. Sour Bill pulled up in a ' limo ' go cart made specially big so Ralph wouldn't be too squished.

" I'm here to take you to the bakery to meet with our sovereign president...hey nobody told me anyone else was coming."

Dani blinked. The little round green man's droning slow voice didn't change at all. In fact he sounded like a robot reciting the alphabet.

" Oh well this is a good friend of mine and I want her to meet Vanellope so let's go."  
He opened the door for Dani to get in.

Sour bill turned annoyed eyes to Ralph " Has this been cleared with our president?"

Ralph squeezed in and gave Bill a dead pan look. " You know...Vanellope is my best friend, how do you think she'd feel knowing you're being an ass to her guest? If she doesn't clear it we can just leave right? Now will you go already? You're making me hungry. Got a little dry mouth here...might need something sour to suck on to you know...get the saliva flowing." He added a couple of dry hacks to that threat.

Sour Bill looked alarmed at this and quickly stepped on the gas peeling rubber down the bridge heading to the go kart bakery. Dani met Ralph's eyes and raised her brows in question.

Ralph chuckled " Long story...tell you about it over a nice bonfire and hot dogs."


	12. Chapter 12

-Real Life-

The hospital was never deserted. Nurses and doctors were always there and many were always on call. But between the hours of 3 am and 5 am the hospital was usually quiet. Even death had to sleep sometime.

Josh was a night caretaker whose job required housekeeping. On this night he was delivering linens to each room silently trying not to wake up the patients. He also collected any garbage in the bins and replaced it with a fresh bag. That done he would remove the bag of dirty linens. In between he would help the nurses if they required help to change a bed. On this night no beds needed changing and he went into the ICU to continue his rounds. He waved at a nurse who waved back not even glancing up from her chart. He went into the rooms doing his job until he reached the furthest room.

At first glance he thought an old woman was resting in the bed. Then he went to empty the bin next to her bed and froze in awe. The woman was enchanting. Her slanted eyes and creamy skin marred by only a few freckles made her look like an exotic Geisha. He carefully went around the bed and picked up her chart and read it. A coma! He put the chart down and then causally walked to the door and peeked out. No one was visible. He shut the door leaving just a crack. He went back to the bed and gazed intensely down at the woman. Daniel was it?

He picked up a strand of hair in and let it slide through his bony fingers. It was soft and kicked off thousands of white highlights. Her brows were a light coffee and cream brown. Her lashes were thick and pale against her cheek. He glanced towards the door. No one.

He leaned down and smelled her. Cherry Blossoms! He slid his hand into his pocket briefly and pulled out a boy scout knife. He picked up a hunk of hair near the nape of her neck and cut off a little piece. He stood up and smelled it for a moment feeling excitement course through his veins. He was feeling excited in other ways too. Another quick peek out the door showed the nurse was still at the nurses station at the and of the hall and everyone else was most likely doing their own paper work.

He leaned over the bed sliding is hand down the front of his pants to wrap around his engorged penis. His lust was so strong it happened fast. He licked her face from her chin to her brow and with one, two jerks he felt himself spasming in an orgasm. Panting he stood up over her. He hoped she would be here for a while. In a coma. What she wouldn't know couldn't hurt her right?

He adjusted his top to cover the stain on the front of his uniform pants and quickly grabbed up the bag of linens . He tucked the small strand of hair in his shirt pocket. Just before he left he looked back at her laying in the bed like a sleeping princess.

" Hhmmmm." he murmured thoughtfully suddenly realizing just what it meant by her being in a coma. She wouldn't see or feel anything. Feeling excited again he continued his rounds a new bounce in his steps. He took a detour to his locker to change into clean underware and pants.

Alone in her room Dani lay exactly as she had been. Her face tilted to the side her arms resting on her stomach and a single tear ran down her face.


	13. Chapter 13

Sour Bill droned on about Sugar Rush, it's history, King Candy who had stolen their game, how the princess, Vanellope, had brought their world back to the wonderful place it was. The different kinds of go carts and races and obstacles. Ralph's head started nodding off. Dani thought she might join him but suddenly a chill went down her back making her shiver briefly. She frowned wrapping her arms around herself glancing around. Suddenly she had a bad feeling she was in trouble.

That was hard to believe though when their was candy all around her. She glanced around again and felt Ralph's large hand on her shoulder.

" You ok? You're white as a ghost!"

She laughed nervously " Sorry Ghost walked over my grave."

" Do you want the tour or not?" Bill asked his voice slightly annoyed.

Ralph snorted " I was here cough drop remember? I'm the one that helped win the Vanellope race and i almost died defeating the cybugs!"

" After you brought them here." Bill retorted.

Ralph huffed and settled back arms crossed. They would be at the bakery soon and he could ditch the sour advisor.

Dani perked up " What's this? How did Ralph save ' Sugar Rush'?"

" AFTER he almost destroyed it." Bill said.

" Ok so how did he do that?" Dani leaned forward and Bill happy to have an audience talked about Ralph bringing a cybug to Sugar Rush.

Ralph cut in several times since the green sour ball hadn't been with him and Vanellope through most of their adventure hadn't even know that the ' glitch ' was their princess.

Dani looked at Ralph with shining eyes that made him fidget nervously and flush.

" Ralph you were going to die to protect your friend? Oh that's incredible! Why you're a hero...and to think you chose to stick with your game! I mean...wow!"

Ralph chuckled nervously. He suddenly realized sitting down next to each other her head was much closer to his own. Her eyes were lipid pools and suddenly he leaned down to kiss her. He knew it was probably the dumbest mistake he could make. No one would kiss him in their right mind but maybe she wasn't in her right mind. One could hope right?

He was just a hair's breath from her lips. Her eyes drifted closed and she tipped her face up. Before his lips could do more then just graze hers the car suddenly stopped with a jerk throwing them both forward.

" What? Wha..." Ralph saw they were at the bakery. He glared at Sour Bill who was smirking slightly.

" Last stop." Ralph angrily climbed out and helped Dani out as well. He glared at Bill promising with his eyes that he might take the little sour tart and lick him a few times and show him just how much Ralph appreciated the interruption.

" HEYYYYYY Stink brain!" Vanellope came running up to him and leaped up knowing he would catch her. He did and then tossed her in the air a few times making her squeal. She suddenly noticed Dani standing off to the side.

" Hey Ralph when did you get a girlfriend? "

Ralph went red " She not my girlfriend she's a friend I'm trying to help get home."

" Uh huh...well I always thought you weren't the brightest in the box diaper head." She leaned forward snagged Ralph's ear causing him to wince ash she pulled iy closer to her and whispered " Dumb ass she's cool looking and hot and your age...you better grab her before someone else does!"

Ralph shook his head briefly. " When did everyone get concerned about my love life all of a sudden?"

" Hiya snow white! I'm president of Sugar Rush Vanellope von Schweetz" Vanellope hopped out of Ralph's arms and stuck her hand out. Dani shook her hand gazing at the little girl. She was cute but at the same time she looked tough. Dani could imagine the people of Sugar Rush following her.

" So you ever make a go cart before Mrs. Snow? "

Dani shook her head. " Nope. Never had the pleasure."

" Well your in luck lady, ol Ralph here makes awesome go carts in fact I think this one should be yours. You can run one race with us for fun."

" No, no nonono..bad idea!" Ralph said quickly.

" Why not? I love go carts!" Dani said.

" If you die outside your game you don't come back." Ralph said crossing his arms.

" Oh come on there's only a few really dangerous obstacles and I can get the gang to run interference on those to keep her safe. Don't be a poo head Ralph."

" No." Ralph said again shaking his head. " Not risking it booger head. No way!"

" Oh Ralph you got it bad!" Vanellope laughed to herself. Despite her teasing she had actually begun to worry about Ralph. Seeing him blush and acting shy which was not normal for him did her heart good. She loved him a great deal and he was truly her best friend.

Despite that and his game becoming less derogatory with him as the bad guy he had seemed to be loosing some of his bounce after accepting his lot in life. She had been sure getting someone in his life to stir it up in a good way was just what he needed. Unfortunately not being able to leave her game left her in a hard spot to go girl hunting. But here next to him was a full grown woman! A pretty one too! And there was an unmistakable glint in her eye that promised fun for whoever caught her affection.

Vanellope sighed shaking her head slightly. She loved Ralph but he was thick as a brick. The woman was brushing against him, smiling at him, watching him coyly doing everything but sticking on a sign on her forehead that screamed ' TAKE ME BIG BOY! ' and Vanellope was worried even that might not get through his thick head. She decided to try to help out.

" Ok well let's make a cart anyway we can talk about races later. " She turned and skipped to the bakery waving to her guard.

She heard Ralph mutter " There's nothing to discuss!"

She chuckled and opened the door and motioned them inside. The light came on and a panel of car bodies appeared. She pointed to one. " That's the kind of cart Ralph made me! I want to try a different one now. Hmmmmmm what do you think powder? "

Dani's lips quirked up at the nicknames the little girl was giving her and looked around at the other cars. She spotted one.

" Ohhh that one! I like that one!"

" Ok come on! Come on Ralph move your molasses we're gonna need help!"

Ralph chuckled but loped after them. The door opened and the mini game opened up with an announcement.

" You have one minute to make your car! First up separate the ingredients and throw away the trash!"

Vanellope let Dani do that and she was able to get the ingredients right. The mixing and baking were trickier. The compressor switch really was hard to move. Ralph helped out and was careful not to break it like he had before. When it came to decorating the car Dani managed to make herself a rather nice blue and green car.

" Not bad sister not bad at all!" Vanellope said. " Let's go test it out!"

" Vanellope! Shes not racing!"

Vanellope rolled her eyes "I heard you plain the first time stink brain the track is empty can't she at least drive it after she made it? "

" Please Ralph?" Dani begged. It really did look totally cool.

Ralph frowned " I don't like this."

Dani tossed her hair and then gave him a cheeky grin " Ok how bout this...if I screw up you can just spank me again."

Ralph went red. Vanellope's eyes went wide and she began to laugh hysterically. Ralph had spanked this woman? What a riot!

" Wow Ralph I had no idea! Did you use a switch? Or did you get kinky and use a whip?"

Ralph kicked the ground. He knew he was outnumbered and if he dug his heels in Vanellope would find a way around him.

" Oh all right. But don't go crazy out there. Until I get you home your my responsibility."

Dani squealed and hopped in the car. She checked her mirror backed out and shot out of the factory.

" Hey! Ralph yelled running after out. Vanellope pulled up in her car and grinned at him. "Hop on diaper head we'll catch up lickety split. Least she can drive!"

Ralph didn't argue. He jumped on the back of Vanellope's cart and held on for dear life while she sped down the road towards the race way.

True to her word the race track was deserted most of the racers were chilling out or working on their cars. They merely glanced up to watch the new car go down the track. A few waved to Vanellope as she went by.

Vanellope caught up and waved at Dani who honked at her. She went through some of the areas that increase her speed or gave gave her car some fancy extra gimmick but mainly she stayed on the track. Ralph had just started to relax thinking maybe he had been to protective.

Dani turned a corner out of their sight and then suddenly there was a scream and a tortured sound. Vanellope gunned it and turned the corner to see the car had gone off the road smashing through several trees. It was facing the beginning of sugar mountain. The snow like obstacle course was slippery but Dani hadn't even made it to the powdery sugar coated road yet.

Her cart pointed in that direction but Dani sat rigid clenching the steering wheel so hard she was crumbling it. There was a look of drugged horror on her face.

" Dani! Dani are you alright?! Dani! "

Ralph reached the cart first and started to reach in and lift the woman out. Her eyes were wide open but vacant and that scared him more then anything. Vanellope ran around the car scared and close to tears.

" What happened Ralph?! What's wrong with her?!"

Ralph started to answer when Dani abruptly bowed up in his arms her head falling back her jaw closing with a snap her eyes rolling back and just as fast as that her body went into jerky spasms.

" Do something!" Vanellope cried. Ralph gave her a helpless look. He had no idea what to do.

-Real Life-

" Dr Malloy come quickly! She's seizing! "

Malloy dropped the chart he was perusing and hurried into Mrs. Mcdeals room. To his horror she was indeed having a seizure. He quickly called for medication and slapped the record button on the EEG to get a readout. He motioned everyone away from the bed keeping a close eye on her in case it looked like she might injure herself. The seizure stopped after a moment and her body went slack against the bed. Her head tossed restlessly and her lips moved.

" Mrs. Mcdeal? Mrs. Mcdeal can you hear me? " Malloy leaned over to try to catch what she said. He pressed his stethoscope against her chest where her heart rate was slowing down from it's frantic gallop. He leaned down forward until his hair stroked her face trying hard to make out what she might be saying if anything.

She sucked in a small sip of air and then blew it out gently against his ear one word that left him baffled.

She had said "Chionophobia ."


	14. Chapter 14

Dani accepted a cup of hot chocolate from Sour Bill who was watching her concerned. She was embarrassed beyond belief. Seeing the fear and concern on both Ralph's and Vanellope's faces made her feel guilty for scaring them so badly though she had no control over her reaction. She wasn't prone to seizures.

" I'm sure it was nothing..." she tried again.

" Nothing?! I've never seen anyone glitch so bad in my life and believe me lady I would know. "

" Any idea what caused it? " Ralph asked placing a blanket over her shoulders. She really hated the fact he was taking care of her like she was a helpless baby.

" No." she said curtly.

" Fear." Sour Bill said picking up a frond shaped piece of licorice and fanning her with it.

" What?" Ralph glanced at him startled. Sour Bill looked a bit uncomfortable. "Sometimes Princess Vanelope would glitch when she was really angry or scared. Well madam didn't look angry but it sounds like she was pretty scared."

Dani cringed as all eyes swung her way.

" Is that true?" Vanellope demanded. " Did you freak out cause you were scared? "

Dani stood up and handed Sour Bill the cup of hot chocolate. " Welp been great meeting you and loads of fun but I gotta go."

She turned to leave. Ralph quickly fell into step with her and Vanellope scrambled after her.

" Look I promise I wont laugh or anything but I'd love to have you come back and if something here scares you I'd like to know so I can you know...get rid of it or hide it or something..."

Dani kept walking.

" Come on lady there's nothing wrong with being scared of something, I was scared all the time that my game would get unplugged and I'd die cause I can't leave my game."

Dani glanced briefly at the little girl. " What does it matter to you if I come back or not?"

Vanellope hopped in front of her moving backwards with ease meeting her eyes with earnest hope.

" Cause you're fun, You make fart brain there blush and well I'd like to see you spend more time with him ..."

Dani opened her mouth as did Ralph.

" As FRIENDS...I mean admit it it's more fun then just sitting at the dump or drinking yourself stupid at Tappers right? "

Dani paused hands clenched. She blew out a breath an dropped her head briefly. Ralph and Vanellope stood silent.

" Snow." Dani said softly.

" What?" Ralph asked, her voice had been so soft he hadn't understood her.

" Snow ok? I've got Chionophobia, fear of snow alright? I freak out when I see it."

" Ohhhh." Vanellope said " Powdered sugar mountain looks like snow...I gotcha...wow...I'm sorry I would have sent you a different way heck we could have gone off track even if you wanted. Well no foul it won't happen again right Ralph? "

" No it won't." Ralph said grimly. " You had no business racing in that kart anyway you could have killed yourself!"

Dani sighed rolling her eyes. She was feeling a little better albeight embarrassed as hell. She felt like she had been sucking a mouth of pennies and her heart was still racing. Not to mention the cold sweat that had covered her body was just now drying but she was hoping Ralph wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately he looked like he saw everything. He was definitely not dumb.

Vanellope sighed and took Dani's hand.." Look let's go back to the castle, we can play poker, or charades or something."

Dani shook her head. Everything looked too bright now. Her fear had put her on edge and hated herself for that.

"Actually if you don't mind your sovereign I'd like to go to game central. I don't think I'd be much fun right now anyway."

Vanellope looked crestfallen." But you'll come back right?"

Dani smiled at the little girl wondering if she had ever been blessed with kids would they have been as snarky and sweet as this one.

She held up her pinkie and with a grin Vanellope hooked her pinkie through hers.

" I'll come back and we'll figure out a way to race without ol sour puss there."

Ralph glared at them. He couldn't stay mad though not when Vanellope launched herself into his arms for a hug. She whispered in his ear " Ask her out stink brain!"

Ralph rolled his eyes and then motioned for Dani to get into the car that Sour Bill had pulled them around to take them to the entrance of ' Sugar Rush.'

Once in the car a tense silence fell over them. Ralph found himself bemoaning the almost kiss he had gotten and wishing he could think of something to break the silence.

He was dying to ask and she probably knew it since it loomed unspoken between them.

Snow? Who the heck was afraid of snow? And why? Snow was for fun things like snowmen, snowball fights, snow angels all things Ralph hadn't gotten to do until he went ' Sugar Rush '. He glanced over at Dani. Her face was tilted back a peaceful look on her features and her eyes were close as if she were relaxing and contemplating the meaning of life. Her hands were held tightly together shaking knuckles white with strain.

Ralph cautiously reached over and took her hands. Her eyes flew open and she tried to tug them away.

" No it's all right really..."

" I'm just warming them ok? Take it easy." He began rubbing his large hands in a circular motion and to Dani's surprise her hands suddenly did feel much warmer. She relaxed wearily. The pleasant friction helped make her fear fade away and the memories were once again locked in her head where they belonged. She remembered having a therapist she had hated who had kept pushing her to remember, to pull out every detail assuring her it would make her life much better as if pulling the rotten garbage of her mind would make her food now taste better. That was the first time she had run away. ' Sugar Rush' would be her 25th time. She was certainly racking up some numbers running away.

She kept silent hoping against hope he wouldn't ask about her fear. She didn't want to think about it. Of course not wanting to think about it didn't stop her from thinking about it. She could almost hear faint screams the weird sounds but all that showed up in her mind was blank white wall with teeth reaching for her. She shivered.

She realized that Ralph had stopped rubbing her hands and she tugged them away and sat back trying to bring her mind back to the present. If this was even a presence. She was beginning to think something alot weirder then dying and going to Hell or Heaven or Nirvana, or whatever was going on here.

At the opening of ' Sugar Rush ' the surge protector appeared and for once Ralph was too distracted to be irritated with the guy. Dani walked a little ways away and sat on a bench. It was on this bench almost wistfully watching Ralph that she felt a large warm hand on her shoulder.

" Madam your beauty has blinded me, for truly I've never seen such a fine woman in all my days. Tell me, might I have your name? "

Dani glanced up startled. A tall character dressed in some kind of steam punk armor smiled gently down at her. His eyes were sky blue and his hair as black as a raven's wings swept from a high forhead accenting his cheekbones and strong jawline. He must have been a high graphic game because she could even see the faintest hint of stubble along his jaw line and clifted chin.

Dani blushed and smiled shyly at him. " Hi, My name is Daniel but everyone calls me Dani."

" Dani." he mused. "A strong name...My name is Genova Scottia Malcom. But please pretty one," He kissed her hand " Call me Malcom."

Movement on his shoulder caused her to glance up and she gasped with pleasure. A small blue dragon had climbed up on his shoulder spreading it's wings briefly for balance before tucking them close to it's body. With it's full cheeked little face she thought it was the cutest thing she had ever seen.

" Oh wow! How adorable!"

" I assure you Baltor here is hardly worthy to be in your presence. Do you like him You can hold him if you like. Here." He plucked the dragon of his shoulder.

Dani started to protest " Oh no I wouldn't want to hurt him..." Baltore slithered up her arm and slid himself around her neck like a stole heaving a sigh of pleasure as it's tail flicked back and forth.

" Oh this is wonderful!"

" Yeah, yeah it's awesome now why don't you give the little biter to M there so we can be on our way."

Dani glanced startled to see Ralph looking cross and glaring down at Malcom who merely smiled indulgently at him. Baltore hissed flicking out it's snake like tongue almost seemig to blow a rasberry at the large wrecker.

" Ah Ralph. taking a break from destroying everything you touch? " Malcom curled his nose slightly " This may not be my business Ralph but uh maybe you could actually pull on clean clothes when you leave your game. The smell of smashed bricks and garbage are not to everyone's taste." He turned and held out his hand and Baltore slithered back up his arm to it's perch on his shoulder.

" My lady please come to Tapper's with me, let me buy you a drink. You must be new for I never would have forgotten seeing you before. From which game do you hail from?"

" The game of none of your beeswax and she's coming back to my game with me." Ralph said standing to his full height.

Malcolm shrugged " Well theirs no accounting for taste but I must say Ralph I never would have realized your taste were so exquisite when it came to women. My lady maybe tomorrow? We can have a drink and you can tell me about your game and I'll tell you about mine? I can even take you to my game. I'm a pilot and I drive a wondrous hot air with dual engines balloon."

Dani had been standing quietly a little annoyed the men were talking about her like she wasn't standing RIGHT there. She glanced at Ralph and he crossed his arms his face plainly telling her that for whatever reason he didn't like this guy. Well tough. She wasn't going to just spend her time doing only what he wanted her to do or go where he wanted her to go. So she turned to Malcom and offered her hand to him which he quickly kissed.

" I'd like that."

Malcom bowed at her while Baltore chirped a good bye at her.

She turned to look at Ralph and saw that he was beyond livid. His huge hands were clenched so tight she could hear his knuckles creaking. She decided if he clenched his teeth any tighter he might very well break the lot of them.

Tough.

" Ok let's go." she said sweetly "I want to try out that fire pit!"

Ralph stomped off leaving her to walk behind him, she wasn't going to galloped after him again. Just before she went through The door to " Fix It Felix Jr." She turned and saw Malcom resting against a game door 3 doors down. ' Flight of Fancy ' it was called. She had never heard of it. Malcom gave her solemn wave and she waved back before following Ralph into his game.


	15. Chapter 15

\- Real Life -

Josh frowned shifting foot to foot. Dr Mollay was taking his sweet time over the lovely lady who was in a coma. He had actually tried to sneak into the room when the large doctor appeared. Beating a hasty exist with linens in his arm he had managed to slip out without raising suspicion.

He couldn't wait all morning however his shift ended at 7 am. The doctor wasn't even doing anything that he could see. He sat at the patients bed held her hand and seemed to be talking to her.

Josh was a little worried she was waking up but he didn't see any signs that she was responding to the big man. He nervously looked down the hall. The nurses were making morning rounds and sooner or later he would have to finish his rounds. After a moment he gave up and hurriedly began going from room to room collecting linen and depositing fresh linen. One RN needed help changing a bed which he did so.

He was disappointed but he assured himself there would be another time. In fact he was giving serous thought to making use of one of those dainty but strong looking hands. He liked strong women. Sadly strong women never stayed strong in their doings with him. They tended to turn into whiney bitches when he spent some time with them. Luckily this one wouldn't. It made his heart beat lighter and higher. This was his true love he just knew it. She would love him and never complain of anything he did. Why she might not even mind one night if he brought his big brother along. These thoughts kept him perky while he did his job smiling and making little old ladies laugh and being goofy for the little brats and blowing up rubber gloves into balloons for them. Lordy life sure was fine sometimes.

Meanwhile in Dani's room Dr. Malloy was rubbing her hand between two of his trying to warm them up. He pressed the call button and nurse Johann answered.

" Johann can you please bring a warm blanket in here? Mrs. Mcdeal feels awfully cold."

Johann warmly agreed and five minutes later after she had finished her chart she walked in and proceeded to cover up the woman in the bed. Dr. Malloy, despite not being a nurse or a patient care assistant helped her and made sure to tuck the cover around her feet and her arms under the blanket. He absently ran a finger over the scars on her right arm grimacing.

" She can have surgery to remove those can't she?" Johann asked softly. Mallory shook his head.

" No the burns are inside they can't be scoured. Maybe she could get a tattoo to cover them up?"

Joanna gave him a look smiling slightly and shook her head. Malloy also grinned abashed " Yea ok maybe not a tattoo...but you know they look rough now but once time has had a chance to heal her they actually might look very pretty."

"Johann you've been here when Jessie has been in to visit has she said anything about our patient being afraid of snow? "

Joanna frowned at him. " Snow? Who on earth would be afraid of snow? "

" People afraid of snow." Malloy winked at her to let he know he was teasing. She chuckled, checked the vitals machine then shook her head.

" Nope what I hear is how she got into a fight once because someone in a club call her friend a fatty."

Malloy's eyebrows rose " Mrs. Mcdeal?"

Johann nodded stepping towards the door she turned to Dr. Malloy and grinned at him.

" Yep, someone called her friend fat and Mrs. Mcdeal took exception and dumped the woman's drink over her head. The woman got snarky with her but no matter how hard she tried Mrs. Mcdeal is pretty light on her feet apparently she ducked every blow until the woman's wig fell off and she had to retreat."

Malloy laughed loudly surpringing himself. He looked at the comotose woman with new light in his eyes. " Did you really? You must have been dancing Mrs. Mcdeal."

Joanna chuckled to herself than glanced at the clock. " Oh! Doc you better get on home or you'll be here all night again. You really need to get rid of some of that baggage under your eyes."

Malloy rubbed the back of his neck with one large hand. " Yes you're right I do need to call it a night I just felt like...I dunno...like maybe I'd better stick around just a bit longer. You ever have one of those feelings?"

Joanna had already left the room heading for her desk.

Dr. Malloy glanced at Dani again and then leaned down to tuck her blanket around her shoulders a bit more. That was the only reason he heard the hoarse whisper that came from her slack lips.

" Save me."


	16. Chapter 16

" Hey Dani? Helloooo? " Ralph snapped his fingers in front of her face causing her to jump.  
" Your marshmallow is on fire."

" Oh!" Dani pulled the stick out of the fire and blew her white puffy treat out. She shrugged and pulled off the black crusted outside and enjoyed the warm gooey center.

The fire pit HAD been a good idea. Felix and Calhoun had shown up with marshmallows. Mary bless her heart had brought things to make S'mores's Qbert and his gang sat around the fire chirping to themselves and anyone who knew their language. Ralph actually looked happier then Felix had ever seen him. He struck up conversation with the nice landers who were mingling while sitting in fold up chairs they had brought some leaning forward to roast weiner dogs some enjoying much sweeter treats.

Much to Dani's amusement Ralph had simply picked up a branch with many other branches on it and stuck a marshmallows and wienie dog on every one of them. If he had too may of those there'd quickly be none left. He caught her looking at him and he smiled at her keeping his mouth closed since it was full of gooey marshmallows. To her amusement he had marshmallow smeared all around his mouth.

Obviously this was a man who's way to his heart was through his stomach.

She found herself wishing there was a wok here so she could cook stir fry, peanut chicken, Bok soy, and other little dishes she loved making. Not that she got to cook much. It was hard to cook those things knowing it was just her eating and she'd be eating the leftovers for a week.

" You ok ma'am?" Felix asked.

Dani glanced at him. " Yes of course...I just zoned for a moment."

She glanced around " Well tell me how did Q-bert and his comrades wind up here?"

Felix explained to her what had happened and how characters were forced into homelessness once their games were unplugged.

" So if they die here..." Dani state thoughtfully

" They don't come back." Felix finished. " Our game code can't read another game's game code. It's not programmed to. That's why everyone has to be super careful."

Dani went silent while another conversation started up about close calls everyone had at one point or another and a few nice landers declared it was just best if one stayed in one games.

She set her stick down and wiped her hands on a napkin Mary had provided. " So...where would one find the actual code anyway? "

Everyone went silent and stared at her.

" No Ma'am! Nobodie messing with our code!" Felix said. " You heard what happened with Turbo! Why brother there almost died saving Vanellope!"

Everyone began muttering.

Dani sat back stretching her back and then she stood up and began pacing.

" Turbo was a psycho path and he was distorting the code by reprogramming it in ways it shouldn't have been programmed. You can't program out a character that should be there or add in a new character trying to follow a code different then the code in the game. The whole darn game would just fall apart just like ' Sugar Rush almost did! Plus as fail safe it would just reset itself...but you can program code to read a character's code so they can regenerate if they accidently die in another game. "

She looked around. All of them were gaping at her. Ralph sat looking concerned but it simply looked silly since he had a hot dog in one hand and a treeful of marshmallows in the other.

" Listen, I know what I'm talking about. The game code can't be changed without destroying the game. It can only be upgraded with more code or downgraded with less. It can be coded to have new characters that will regenerate within a game as long as they aren't doing anything that the game isn't coded to do. Example...a bric hits Qbert and it kills him...no coming back right? But this is Fix It Felix Jr. with Wreck it Ralph here brics are SUPPOSED to fall down on the characters, glass is supposed to break and building are supposed to be damaged! If Fix It Felix code can read Qberts code as a bonus level within it's own game code he'll regenerate just like all of you."

Everyone looked stunned. Calhoun set back looking a bit suspicious" uh...you seem pretty smart about coding young lady."

Dani flushed slightly " I'm almost 50 ma'am and yea well...when I was little...I was gifted, Math, science and technology. I became hacker when I was 5 years old. I was using a computer before I was even talking. I went to school and jumped grades and I graduated IT school by the time I was 20. I was writing my own programming and selling them to major businesses and theme parks and making tons of money."

Ralph stared at her. " So uh...what happened?"

Dani picked up her stick and fiddled with it. She grimaced " I fell in love." She took a marshmellow and stuck it on her stick. " Anyway if you show me were your code is I can code it to read Bert and the rest of the bonus characters code. Then they'll be a part of game 100%."

" No." Felix said.

" Felix!?" Ralph said but the little man cut him off.

" No...if something goes wrong, if just one little code is off. This game is through. We're all through. I just don't think we should risk it. We're real careful about the bonuses levels and we would never put Qbert or any of the others in real danger!"

The nice landers murmured agreements. Ralph glared for a moment then with a huff he got up and tossed his stick in the fire before walking away to his shack. Felix stood up and placed his hand on Dani's shoulder " Look it isn't that I don't want your help...but you have to understand it's our lives...I mean how would you feel if someone was coming in to change your code? What of they coded something wrong and you died? That would be tragic!"

Dani shrugged " I was just offering Felix it's ok...and uh I'm pretty sure I'm already dead. so I don't know that anything would help me if I died again, if I can even die again."

Felix looked confused " Uh Ma'am? I don't understand..."

Dani 's eyes went to Ralph's shack. " You know the last thing I remember doing before Ralph found me? I was replacing the video card in your game console. Before that I upgraded Dance Dance revolution. I fixed a faulty audio bug on 'The Night Terror' and before that I was at my own apartment getting ready to come to this arcade for my night job. I'm a contractor who fixes games and computers and upgrades them. This saves the arcade owners money having to ship a whole game out of the arcade for who knows how long before they get it back. Plus I make more money then most of those companies who fix games because it's just me and I can go to the arcades fi everything right there."

She tossed her stick down and met Felix's eyes. They looked huge in his face. Calhoun however looked like she wanted to shoot her before her crazy infected everyone else.

" I'm not a game guys. I'm a gamer and a programmer I belong out there." She pointed out the screen. " My problem is I don't know how to get out there or even why I'm here. So like it or not I'm going to be checking out your codes tomorrow after the arcade closes. I promise not to mess with anything but I've got to know if there's some code for me and if there is...well I don't know what I'll do but I'll come up with something."

She turned and headed to Ralph's shack. " Thanks everybody for the s'mores and stuff. It's been a great night."

Felix covered his mouth " Oh my lands!" He muttered.

" She's crazy...she has to be." Gene said he huffed " Just like Ralph to hook up with another Turbo I mean my god she just as good as threatened to go after our code! I say we get the surge protector to lock her up!"

" Buddy," Calhoun stood up and glared down at Gene. " I'll be back here as soon as the arcade closes and if she isn't here when I get her I'm going to pump you so full of holes you'll be regenerating for a week!"

Mary hastily began packing the goods up " Oh my but isn't this exciting? I always wondered what it would be like to meet an actual gamer!"

Calhoun took Felix's hand and held it. " I really don't like this idea."

Felix stepped up on a stump and moved her hair away from her face, " Me neither but if she is who she says...well, it's all just so darn confusing."

Calhoun cupped his face and gently kissed it " Well I'm not confused, if she takes you away from me She'll be one dead gamer and dead gamers can just rot in the garbage."

Felix smiled sadly at her seeing the fear in her eyes, she had lost her first love and she was afraid she would loose him to.

" Hey," he whispered " we still got couple of hours before dawn why don't we retire to bed early..."

" Little slap and tickle?" Calhoun chuckled.

Felix nodded then made her laugh out loud when he said " Yes my lady and I promise the hammer will stay in reach!"


	17. Chapter 17

Dani stepped into Ralph's shack and found him pouting in his chair his head resting on one large hand. She decided not to speak first in case he was tired of her talking. She snapped out the quilt and began running her hands over it to straighten it out.

" You know I can get Mary to bring her iron and iron it flat for you if you want."

Dani looked at him blankly.

Ralph shrugged " You've been yanking and straightening that cover for like 7 minutes now. I think it's about as straight as you'll get it unless you want run a steam roller over it."

Dani blushed. " No I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

" Did you mean what you said?"

Dani pulled of her hoodie and then paused to sniff herself. Her lip curled, definitely time for a shower.

" About coding? You bet every word.

"No. Being a gamer, being you know..a real lander."

She looked at him brows raised. He shrugged " I was eavesdropping."

She glanced away working off her shoes " Real lander? "

Ralph shrugged leaning forward staring at his floor. He really needed to sweep it. " That's what I call people out there. Real landers. People with no codes."

Dani sat on the bed " We have code Ralph, it's called DNA and we manipulate them all the time not always for the better."

Ralph stared at the floor hands clasped in front of him thinking hard. Whelp it worked for Felix here went nothing.

" You are one dynamite gal."

Ralph flinched actually coming from him it didn't sound as smooth at Felix. In fact it had sounded awkward and rough. He had actually sounded like he was trying not to vomit. He glanced up and his face went red as he saw she was staring at him with an expression that he couldn't read.

" Excuse me?" Her voice was perfectly polite.

" I said you are one...I think you're really great. Uh special and I wanted to uh...you know...just let you know that your really really...great."

Great he thought, Great that's just great Ralph. She'll swoon in your arms you betcha. Great just great.

" And uh...why do you think I'm great Ralph? I haven't saved anyone like you have, I haven't rescued a whole game or fought of dangerous cybugs with my bare hands, I'm not a hero like you."

" I'm not a hero!" Ralph said running his hands through his hair.

" To Vanellope and several others you are." Dani said gently " In fact to be honest you're the one who's great. You're the one whose dynamite. Why you don't want to see that is beyond me."

The conversation had gotten away from him somehow he suddenly remembered what she had asked " Why do you think I'm great? Just cause I fought a few bugs? I mean, I'm still a bad guy. I still wreck stuff and I'm just code made to look like something real."

He stood up because he needed to pace. He couldn't even remember now what he was trying to do with this whole conversation.

" I think your great because under that big bad tough guy exterior your programmed to be beats a soft big heart that came to life on it's own. Not to mention...well your fearless."

Dani put her hand son her hips shaking her head slightly not looking at him " If my husband could have been you in real life...wow...what a life we would have had. We'd have had adventures even if we had just laid in the hammock at night, we would have passionate sex all the time, I would have been able to trust you because you're honest and you're good and you wouldn't have left me and taken everything I had away from me. But you know what? "

She turned to look at him. He had stopped pacing and was staring at her slightly dazed his large hands dangling limply at his size. She stepped up closer to him crossing her arms looking wistfully into his eyes.

" Most of all...I think you would have protected my heart. If you had loved me you would have taken care of my heart and you never would have crushed it. You care so much Ralph. You make me wish I wasn't an real lander just so I could have a chance to be happy with a guy like you."

Ralph cleared his throat. " Uh Dani?"

She unfolded her arms still looking up at him " Yes Ralph? "

" Oh!" She squeaked out. He had picked her up and held her face to face with him as if she hadn't weighed more then paper. She could feel his hands trembling.

" I'm going to kiss you." He blurted out. He stared at her a moment " May I? "

Dani nodded relaxing in his hands. He leaned forward pressed his lips briefly against hers and then leaned back looking thrilled and slightly sappy.

Dani raised her brows. He continued to grin slightly abash at her and she realized that had been it.

" Uh Ralph? "

"Hmmmmm? "

" Have you ever kissed anyone before?"

" Well my momma but that was probably a programmed memory."

" Right. Please set me down."

Ralph frowned but did gently place her on the floor. He couldn't read her expression but she almost looked amused and it flustered him. Had he done it right?

" Ralph sit down please."

He quickly complied.

She then proceeded to climb up on his lap stretching her knees apart to gently grip his hips. Her hands were on his chest so she was slightly above his face peering down. She was smiling at him. He tried to grin at her but all of a sudden he felt like his pixels where vibrating in a weirdly pleasant way he hadn't felt in a long time. He could feel himself tapping his hands nervously on the floor and a fine cold sweat seemed to cover his face if this was what he thought it was...well there could be big trouble...not with her of course he thought she was beautiful and now knew she was not only brave but smart too...but he? He was a big clumsy oaf and he just knew he was going to screw this up she leaned closer and he closed his eyes anticipating...well he wasn't sure.

Nothing happened. He peeked at her wearily and found her smiling gently at him. She rested her head against her hands and wiggled on him making him groan slightly.

" Feels good doesn't it? "

" Yea...little strange but yeah..."

" Ralph, may I kiss you? "

" Oh sure...yeah ..I mean you don't ever have to ask just uh you know...go for it..."

She laughed softly then she leaned forward and kissed him. This was different as night was to day. She carefully sucked his lower lip in briefly, rubbed her lips across his a few times getting a feel for them. His head dropped back onto the chair and she rose up a bit more. She ran her fingers through his hair. Touched his face even removing her lips to carefully trace his own with her fingertips before kissing him again. He made an odd noise and reached up to carefully rest his hands on her back.

She slipped her tongue past his lips to get a feel for him and was amused that the coding had become so lifelike on it's own and evolved so much he not only had teeth and tongue and palate before apparently now everything anatomically correct every where. She ran her hands down his chest feeling the muscles bunch up. She raised her head and looked at him. His face was peaceful cheeks slightly flushed and he lazily opened his eyes to look at her.

" That was...nice...alot better then mine...can we uh you know...do that again? "

Dani leaned forward to rub her forehead against his " Why don't we move to the bed? "

For a moment there was a tense silence. Then suddenly Ralph leaped up knocking her to the floor.

" Ow! Geeze Ralph don't be so gung ho...wait what are you doing?!"

Ralph quickly backed up to the door. " God I'm so sorry I just remembered there was some things I had to do for my game tomorrow anyway uh you shouldn't wait up might be a while before I get back and..."

" Are you fucking kidding me?!" Dani stared at him in disbelief.

Ralph opened the door he gave her a rather anguished look " I'm sorry!" He slammed the door behind him.

For a moment Dani simply stared at the door. Then the magnitude of what had just happened hit her. " Oh my God what am I doing?"

Outside the door Ralph was trying hard to get himself and his body under control. He hadn't thought this through. Not at all. Until she had mentioned the bed. For the love of Atari he was 9 feet tall! Well over 600 pounds! She was what? 5 foot 5 tops? Certainly she weighed less then 180 what the hell had he'd been thinking? She was a gamer no code. She certainly wasn't going to be coded in any way to deal with him. What if he hurt her? What if he killed her? How could he be so fucking stupid?

Ralph leaned his head back briefly against the door remembering how she had felt how she had tasted how it had felt to have someone play with his hair, god had that felt incredible. A tear rolled down his face before he got himself under control and left walking with a determined stride to another part of the dump where he could smash things up without hurting anyone.


	18. Chapter 18

\- Real Life -

Dr. Malloy glared at his colleague a neurosurgeon named Dr. Shane.

" I tell you she spoke and she spoke a perfect sentence!"

Dr Shane shook his head Malloy. " I think your working to much she's barely had any brain function since she's been brought it. It's my opinion to try some non surgical procedures on her to see if they bring her out of her state."

" I've never heard of electro shock therapy helping anyone." Malloy said rising his full height. " As her neurologist I strongly feel that electroshock will only cause my patient more pain and distress."

" You don't know she's in pain now! She hasn't responded to any stimuli!" Dr Shane cut in. " As HER doctor you should want to try whatever works to bring her awake."

Furious Malloy turned and regarded the window looking out at the lights twinkling away to the dawn. So far everything that had been suggested he had vetoed.

" Look I've ordered another MRI with contrast. If there's anything physical we can deal with it will show up. This woman was hit by lightening, most likely her nerve endings got scrambled worse case scenario she fried her nerve endings. Now if that's the case I don't see how running more electricity through her brain will help! I believe we are doing the best thing for her now...I'm telling you Doctor she SPOKE to me."

" And what did she say?"

Malloy turned slowly to him, he knew from high school once you lost your temper that was it you lost the battle.

" She said ' Save Me.' clear as a bell."

As he expected Dr Shane looked more then a little skeptical.

"Look Dr. Shane. I know you and your pals think I'm just a big ol country bumpkin playing doctor. Well I am a country bumpkin. I picked my own apples growing up, slept in trees, and hammocks outside, and raised up a prize bull that won my family over 2,000.00. I also went to med school on FULL scholarship and it wasn't because I was a country hayseed kicker. This is MY patient. So long as she stays MY patient what I say goes. I intend to ask the hospital to extend her stay until we exhaust all possibilities."

Dr Shane had the tenacity to flush. Malloy continued.

"Now if everything I try is not worth success and we can prove that more electricity going to her head isn't going to make her situation worse...why I'll think about it but not until all other possibilities are exhausted."

He turned to leave. Shane cleared his throat to get the big man's attention " Look Malloy, I don't think of you as big dumb country boy ok? I think your one of the smartest doctors we got here and you'd have made one hell of a researcher...I'm just concerned your getting too close to the patient that's all."

Dr. Malloy nodded that was a little too close to the truth. " Duly noted Shane thank you."

After he left Malloy ran his hand through his thick brown hair tousling it into tufts of brown spikes which kicked up copper highlights here and there. He ran his hand down his race rubbing his eye and grimaced feeling his sideburns were getting bushy and he had stubble around his round chin. Boy oh boy Shane what are you getting into? Got to go home and get ready for the next battle.

He leaned forward. " I heard you Mrs. Mcdeal and I promise you I'll do everything I can to save you and bring you back. I can't be here late tomorrow I have a speaking engagement but I'll be by before I have to leave. Who knows maybe the sight of me in that ridiculous suit I have to wear will wake you up laughing hysterically at me." He grinned down at her hoping for a twitch, a moan anything. Nothing but her face was peaceful and she wasn't showing any signs of pain.

He checked to make sure he added his notes to her chart and then left the room to visit one or two other patients before calling it a night.

Across the hall in an empty room Josh watched the woman with a sick twisted hunger that was steadily growing. Tomorrow if his brother agreed to come the would be able to keep a look out. He slipped down the hallway to do his round looking forward to tomorrow when he could call his big brother and invite him over for a little party. Maybe they could drink few beers before they stopped by here.

He knew all the nurses and the RN working tomorrow who took care of Mrs Mcdeal was a slacker she would do minimum work and then sit at the desk and chat on the phone with her friends about weekend plans. She wouldn't check because really what were the odds of a comatose patient waking up after a week? Besides if something went wrong the alarm would alert her and give them a chance to bail.


	19. Chapter 19

Dani decided to casually check out gaming central while the arcade was open. With Ralph and Felix busy on their games it was easy to slip out. Once she was at the game central she found it to be a long hallway of plugs giving life to each game within. The surge protector was on duty and he stopped her as soon as she stepped outside Fix it Felix Jr.

" Name?"

"Dani."

Rather then go through the usual boring questions he asked other characters he lifted his glasses to stare at her.

" What's your purpose here?"

Dani found herself opening her mouth. Nothing came out so she closed it...what the hell was her purpose here? That was a damn good question. She fidgeted a moment trying to think of something to say.

" My Purpose? Whoa wow that's heavy...I mean really what is the purpose of any of us right? I mean somewhere in this cosmic plane we have a purpose ... unless we don't have a purpose...but if we didn't have one that would kind of be a purpose to right? To have no purpose...

" Please stop ma'am." The surge protector asked politely. " Your the woman who got hit by lightening a few days ago while upgrading Fix it Felix."

" Well I ...what? I got hit by LIGHTNING? Inside the arcade?" Dani was so blown away she found herself gaping at the little man hoping she had heard wrong.

" Saw it myself ma'am and I can sense surges coming through and stop them before they fry the games. You were on your stomach sat up went to plug in the game and it hit you dead on in the back. I contacted 911 and they took you away. So..." He adjusted his glasses and sniffed " Why are you here? "

" I was hit by lightening? But I mean...does that mean I'm dead? " Dani placed her hands on her chest. Her heart was beating damn it. She was NOT dead. Maybe she wasn't alive like she had been or maybe she had her brain fried and replaced with this weird coded world but she was...not...dead!

The surge protector shrugged " Well you were still kicking a little when the ambulance took you away."

Dani Grabbed the surge protect causing him to drop his clipboard " Call the hospital! I need to talk to someone right now! If you can reach 911 you can help me reach the hospital!"

The surge protector pulled himself away and glared at her. " I will not abandon my duty while the arcade is open to mess with the phone lines."

" Well What about when it closes?!"

" Well I suppose I could take a few minutes to put you through the phone line but I warn you, you can't expose our world and cause the lot of us to be shut down."

Dani stared askance " What like you honestly think someone would believe me? Look I don't belong here. you know it, I know it, maybe you can work with me on this and keep this whole lightening thing between a few of us ok? "

" I don't gossip." The surge protector said looking affronted at the very thought.

" Ok that's great...now...where can I find the codes in the games? "

Four hours later the dance revolution character gave the all clear and The characters began mingling and heading out of their games. Both Ralph and Felix were more then a little miffed when they couldn't find Dani.

Ralph went through the whole dump with Qbert while Felix checked out all the apartments.

" Where could she be?" Felix asked worriedly looking around. " Did you check under your bed ?"

" Felix why in codes name would a woman hide under my bed?" Ralph asked perturbed. Then just for shits and giggles he went back into his shack and checked. Empty.

Sargent Calhoun appeared and Felix gave her a hurried kiss and explained the problem.

" Well she couldn't have gone far." Calhoun said.

" I'm just worried." Ralph replied heading to the train station.

" I'm sure she's fine brother, I mean really she's seems pretty smart and level headed how much trouble could she get into? " Felix replied hopping along.

Ralph didn't answer he leaned into the train cart and stood up with a piece of paper in his hand.

Angrily he turned and rubbed his eyes saying " Whelp she's in jail."

" What?" Felix squeaked shocked.

Calhoun merely took the paper from Ralph's hand and read it herself.

STOP. Character know as Dani has been officially arrested and charged with suspicious behavior of possible manipulation of codes. STOP. Here by character is now awaiting release at the holding box by the power cell in game central. STOP. Your presence requested as soon as possible for release upon your arrival. STOP.

" Well don't just stand there like fools get on the train." Calhoun said. She found herself biting her lip to keep from grinning. She was really starting to like this woman.


	20. Chapter 20

" For the last time all I did was ask where the games codes where! I did not I repeat did NOT threaten to touch anyone's stupid code!"

Dani was galloping almost trying to keep up with Ralph's long strides.

" Felix and I warned you! Look just don't ask about the codes ok?" Ralph snapped.

Dani stopped in the middle of the gaming central causing one or two cute little kittens to nearly run into her before dodging her.

Ralph realized she wasn't at his side and quickly looked around. Spotting the top of her head he walked over to her putting on hand on his hip and motioning with the other. " Now what?"

" Ralph I don't belong here! Look I already told you I was a gamer! I need to find that surge protector guy! He said he could get me a line to the hospital I'm at. Come on Ralph walk through a door please? "

Ralph stood looking at her in bemusement. Then he shrugged and stepped foot into a doorway close by and an alarm came on the surge protector appeared. He opened his mouth but before he could begin his routine questions Dani had jumped in front of him nearly scaring the surge right out of him.

" Hey you said after the arcade closed I could use the phone!"

The surge protector frowned at her. "That wasn't me that surge protector 4621. Didn't we arrest you already for code violations?"

She glared at him " No you held me on suspicion of code violations. Look can't you just go get 46..whatever his name is? "

The surge protector brushed off his uniform briefly before replying " Contact outside the game is restricted."

Dani grabbed her head. She wanted to scream. She wanted to start swinging on somebody. She started to cry. Ok that was not what she wanted to do but she suddenly couldn't help it.

She felt large warm hands wrap around her. Ralph glared " Look she's not a game character ok? You can check right now with all the surge protectors and find out we're right. If she's not a game character she shouldn't be here right? Isn't part of your job making sure that people go where they are supposed to and not to go where they aren't allowed?"

The surge protector frowned shifting a bit. Then he disappeared and reappeared in the blink of an eye.

" You!" He pointed at Dani a bit shakily " You're that woman that got hit by lightening!"

Ralph blinked. Hit by lightening? That sounded pretty serious. He glanced down where Dani had wrapped her arms as far as she could around him and buried her face into the the bottom of his chest to water his shirt. She seemed to be drying up though.

" Uh ok then...can she use the phone line?" Ralph asked. Seeing the surge protector looking reluctant he pulled Dani away slightly so he could see her watery eyes and red nose. " Come on have a heart!"

The surge protector sighed and motioned for them to follow him. Dani clung to Ralph's hand until he simply picked her up and settled her against his hip. She would have protested such a silly pose but she suddenly felt that strange feeling again like something terrible was looming over her. She buried her face into his neck and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Surprised he slipped his large meaty arm a bit further around her. She was trembling as if she were frightened.

Remembering what she had said before he glanced around but saw nothing that looked like snow. So why the sudden unease?

" Ralph." She whispered " Hurry!"

******* Real Life*******

" My god isn't she pretty? Little sickly looking but not bad at all little brother!"

Josh puffed his chest out proudly and glanced real quick out the door before closing it and pulling the curtain. This patient wasn't on any kind of watch and he had already seen the nurse check her vitals before settling behind the desk to work on paper work.

" Hey there ma'am," his brother whispered thickly " we heard you were all alone and thought that was a crying shame...so we're here to keep you company!"

He slipped his hands through her hair admiring it's color. He wondered if her pubes were covered in the same color wouldn't that be something to see?

Josh slowly lowered the gown down one creamy shoulder and his breath hitched as a lovely breast with light pink nipples was exposed hardening with the cold air.

The woman didn't move nor make a sound. Josh's brother flipped up her blanket and slid her hospital gown up her legs whistling softly as he did so.

" Brother you done good! You done real good!"

He frowned at the tube that snaked it's way from between her legs to a bag on the side of the bed.

"This gonna be a problem?"

Josh shook his head chuckling " No man catheter it goes in a different hole just move it over."

Josh moved to the window and peeked out " You go first but hurry up."

His brother climbed onto the bed with her and leaned over mashing his lips against her own. Sucking and biting on her lips while squeezing and pinching her exposed breast.

At the nurse's desk the phone rang shrilly.

*****Gamer's World****

Ralph frowned at Dani she had gone pale and a fine sweat covered her face.

" Are you ok? "

" Somethings wrong...oh why isn't anyone answering the phone?!"

*******Real Life*****

The nurse sighed and snatched the phone up. " Kindred Hospital Sally speaking how can I help you? "

She frowned " I wasn't aware that Mrs. Mcdeal had a sister and I can't give out information...well I just checked her and her vitals she's perfectly fine I...she couldn't have called you! I'm afraid you must be mistaken...well I suppose I can do that can you please hold?"

The RN Sighed irritated and placed the caller on hold. People in comas did not just wake up and call relatives without any of their vital signs going off. Still if there was the tiniest possibility that the patient had woken up ...

" Shit! That little bitch is coming! Come on!"

Joshes brother had been sucking and gnawing on Daniel's breast and had one finger rudely shoved inside her but at this he hurriedly pulled away and threw her blanket over her and then tried to find a way to hide his erection. He grabbed some dirty towels and held them in front of him.

He wasn't a moment to soon as Sally opened the door. She stopped startled to see Josh and some man she had never seen before in the room.

" What's going on here?"

Josh grabbed some linens " Just laying out linen Sally like always."

Sally gave him a baleful look " This door and curtain were open when I went on my rounds."

Josh's brother squeezed past her a bit frantically. Josh gave her a sickly grin trying to look innocent even though guilt was written all over his face.

" Ah well I wouldn't know about that ma'am we just do housekeeping."

" Well you don't need to do Mrs. Mcdeals housekeeping so kindly stay out of this room." Sally eyeballed them as they high tailed it to the elevator.

Sally went and carefully pulled down the blanket. Her mouth tightened. One breast was not only exposed but wet. She turned and hurried to the desk to call security and Dr. Malloy. She secretly hoped that Malloy got his large hands on the house keeper and his friend before security did as she was pretty sure they'd have to be admitted when the good doctor got done with them. She also prayed that when Dr. Malloy examined Mrs. Mcdeal the poor thing would be unmolested.

*********Gamer World***

Dani dropped the phone and nearly fell to the floor. Ralph picked her up startled. " Dani? Dani?"

Dani shook herself briefly. " That was too close."

Ralph looked confused "What was too close?"

Dani shook her head " That..whatever almost happened...that was too close I ...Hey!?" She looked at her hands which were slowly dissolving " What's going on?" She asked scared.

Ralph tried to grab her hands but it was if she was a ghost. He dropped to his knees in front of her.

" Dani! Don't go...stay? Please? Don't leave me..."

Dani stared at him and slowly she became solid again.

********* Real Life**************

Daniel thrashed briefly her mind felt like a submarine floating in a vast black ocean. For a moment she thought she saw a surface and she began to rise to it. Then in her ear she heard a voice, warm, tender, and frightened.

" Don't go...stay? Please? Don't leave me..."

Her mind settled itself back into the darkness and a sigh slipped past her slack lips.


	21. Chapter 21

**********Real Life******************************************************

If there was super power involving a death glare Dr. Malloy surely would have had it. He was already big but when he scowled he looked more then a little scary and right at that moment he looked like he could pick up a lesser man and eat him bones and all.

Sally nervously rubbed her hands together dreading the knowledge but she had to know.

" Dr. Malloy? Please tell me...I mean she wasn't raped was she? "

Malloy shook his head his features settling into a fierce frown. " No, but not for the lack of trying I'll wager. I want her moved closer to the nurses's station and I want it done tonight!"

Sally nodded wincing knowing she was going to have to shuffle beds to give the doctor what he wanted but no way was she going to argue what had almost happened and whatever had happened was inexcusable.

" I'll go work on that now."

Dr. Malloy nodded. When she left he carefully picked up Dani's limp hand. " Mrs. Mcdeal I promise you this...those boys are not going to mess with you or anyone else on this floor when I get done with them."

He raised one of his hands up to wipe his face angrily. How could he have been so stupid? A patient who couldn't speak for themselves all alone at the end of the hall furthest from the nurse's station? Somebody should come and put their foot right up his ass, There was movement as two orderlies peered cautiously in ready to move Mrs. Mcdeal's bed to a safer room.

Malloy stood back and watched her thoughtfully. Sally had said someone had warned her. Someone who had claimed to be Mrs. Mcdeal's sister. Yet according to her colleagues and her best friend she had no family and one divorced spouse. He made a mental note to check the caller id log after he saw her safely in her new room.

*********** Game Life ****************

" You can't be serious." Ralph said askance.

" Look Ralph you've been great really, but I really would like to see other games besides Sugar Rush and Fix it Felix."

She waved at Malcolm who had taken his helmet and goggles off and threw his thick hair away from his face before waving at her his bright blue eyes twinkling. Baltore the little dragon was perched on one shoulder. Malcolm was dressed in an matching steam punk outfit complete with little gizmos on his helmet and one a metal bracelet on his arm. He even wore something that looked like a shrink ray.

A few other female characters rushed over to him excitedly fawning over his good looks, slyly touching his arm. To them he brushed aside and walked over to were Dani stood.

" Good morrow to you fair lady! And Raphael of course."

It's Ralph!" Ralph growled.

" It's a fine day in my game for a flight! Care to join me my lady? "

" I'd love to." Dani said warmly. She was hoping this guy Malcolm was more lax on the rules and could show her to the codes without freaking out. He did look like naughty boy. She couldn't help comparing him with Ralph.

Ralph had a face that could be sweetly innocent or angrily evil in one go. Malcolm was put together like a model and she had a feeling his face, while animated and handsome was a little weak in the expressive compartment probably so he could keep that handsome face through the game.

" I'll be back before the arcade opens." Dani said following Malcolm. Ralph crossed his arms angrily. He turned and kicked the floor muttering " Whatever."

After they were gone he angrily headed to Tappers.

The short train ride to the platform of Malcolms game " Flight of Fancy " was much smoother than Fix it Felix's game. His world was an eye opener. Beautiful green forest mixed in with gold and silver gears, knobs and bits of machinery where everywhere.

" Incredible!" Dani said gawking around " What do you do in this game? "

Malcolm smiled smugly " I fly a fantastic balloon ship and collect as many gold coins as I can. I have to solve a lot of puzzles along the way so I'm quite brilliant too."

" Uh huh." She supposed he probably had good reason to be so proud but she still mentally deducted points for being arrogant.

" Oh my!" She paused at a long hydrogen balloon with a fancy looking ship attached to it. She could feel excitement building up.

Malcolm helped her on board and and gave her a tour of the fancy captains dining room the ships fancy engines and finally the starboard where a large gold plated wheel stood in front of a huge window. on each side were identical telescopes and nautical equipment for guidance.

" My God this is amazing!" Dani ran from one end of the room to the other gawking at the treasures on board. Malcolm looked amused and bit smug.

"Yes she is lovely made more so by your presence...would you like to take her for a spin? "

" Hell yea! Are their other characters here? "

Malcolm stood at the board and pressed a few buttons firing up the rockets and slowly lifted a lever which pulled them up towards the sky.

" One or two, one or two, highly doubtful we'll see anyone now that the arcade is closed but if you should see them you might be best not to speak to them. Their bad guys."

Thinking of Ralph Dani shrugged looking out the wide window " Not all bad guys are bad you know."

Malcolm chuckled shaking his head. " Not all bad guys are simpletons either." he pressed another button and the large ship moved forward at a brisk speed.

He set the auto pilot and walked over to a cabnit pulling out a bottle and two wine glasses.

" No wine for me." Dani said automatically she was trying to think of a way to schmooze some information out of him and for that she needed a clear head.

" Ah it's not wine. It's berry juice. I don't drink and drive. Even the autopilot isn't fail safe and I'm responsible for everything and everyone on this ship."

He gave her suave grin and offered her the glass again taking a sip from his own. She held the glass a moment. When Baltore leaned over and took a few sips of Malcolm's drink she relented and tasted it. It tasted like apple juice which she wasn't fond of but who was she to be picky.

She leaned against the gold colored balcony in front of the long window and rubbed a finger around the lip of the glass " So...Malcolm...do you enjoy your game? "

" Of course. It has everything! I almost hate to leave it. I have all the juice I can drink , all the money I could want and all the women I can carry."

" Women you can carry?" Dani arched a brow.

Malcolm gave her another toothy grin; "Of course dames in distress."

" Wait...I thought you said there were only one or two villains in his game. " Dani stood up straight then blinked. The lines of the ship seemed to be blurry a bit.

" Well I never said they were in my game." Malcolm said smugly. He ran his hand through his thick hair enjoying the amount of pixels that went into his being. The money was a dream come true, the women practically fell a this feet with or without a little help from some snooze berry wine and from what he understood this woman had no game. Which meant of course that he could keep her in his.

It would just take a but of code work on his part but nothing he couldn't handle.

" Now then I think that's enough berry wine for you my dear. Let's just make one stop and then we can have some private time together in the ships state room what do you say? "

He took her glass and urged her to sit on the floor. " A simple adjustment of my code will keep you aboard the ship as, oh i don't know, a skipper? Doesn't that sound like fun? "

Dani moaned slightly holding her head. Malcolm chuckled and scratched Baltore under the chin. " Just think...a new plaything for a while. Aren't you just a good boy? Yes yes the women just can't resist you can they boy...have a treat."

He reached in his pocket and tossed the treat up to the little dragon who chomped it eagerly. Whistling he walked away from the wheel leaving Dani crumbled on the floor heading towards his personal code door. He had found it some time ago and had found by manipulating some code he could make his puzzles easier and his fights much less painful. The game was so beautiful in graphics that none of the gamers seemed to notice how easy it was.

He hooked himself to the balcony and opened a square trapdoor that opened into a deep dark hole filled with codes of every kind. Time to program some fun.

Ralph paced angrily outside " Flights of Fancy". He had heard all kinds of things about Malcolm and the way he dealt with lesser coded characters but of course he also knew you couldn't believe everything you heard. Still just thinking about them had driven him out of Tappers before he manged one drink.

Even if it was even a little bit true. He clenched his hands together. Of course on the other hand she might very well fall in love with Malcolm. It might be a Felix Caloun love story. Just the thought made him sick to his stomach. He didn't think he could handle watching her and Malcolm pawing each other and if she kissed Malcolm like she had kissed him...no way! Couldn't happen. He stomped passed the doorway and headed into the game large fists clenched trying hard to think of things to say that would make Dani want to come back with him. ' I need you ' 'please come back' ' Your the only one I want to kiss ever again' didn't sound very convincing to him. He found himself wishing he had a more romantic vocabulary if he had time he would have gone to tappers and found a few friends that seemed to get lucky with some of the ladies. He wasn't going to risk giving Malcolm a chance to press his lips against Dani's however. In fact one good knock oughta make Malcolm unable to kiss anyone for a an hour or so depending on how long it took him to regenerate.

************** Real Life *******

Josh angrily threw his scrubs in the laundry pile. He had been put on leave pending investigation. Luckily he had always been very careful and he highly doubted they would be able to prove anything against him. Still he was without a paycheck while they did their investigation.

There was a knock on his door and he popped open his beer and opened it expecting to see his brother. The bottle slipped from his hand as he was forced to crane his neck up to look into Dr. Malloy's blazing brown eyes. The good doctor was in street clothes.. A pair of jeans steel toed boots a striped shirt unbuttoned over a t-shirt. Before Josh could say anything Malloy pressed two large fingers against his chest and simply shoved him back away from the door.

Josh tumbled back and had just managed to catch his balance when Malloy simply grabbed his shirt and lifted him up. Josh gaped unable to believe the doctor, who he had pegged as a goofy momma's boy, was actually holding him off the ground with one hand.

Malloy's face was furious but his voice was quite calm. " Josh, I reckon me and you are gonna have a little talk about how we treat women. Fact is think we're gonna have us a nice long discussion."


	22. Chapter 22

Ralph swallowed hard. This game was definitely more complicated then either his game or Sugar Rush. For one thing he had stepped out of the central game station and walked into the doorway of 'Flights of Fancy' only to find himself outside a massive intrigant door. The door had a huge lock on the front which branched out into 6 branches. Massive springs were connected to turning knobs.

He turned one and it sprung back keeping the door locked. He tried another one and that one stayed opened. Yet when he tried to turn another both locks snapped back shut. He finally figured out that the knobs had to be turned in the right order but the complication of it made him loose his temper and with a hard crash he simply battered the door open.

Once inside he paused. He had to admit the game was beautiful. There were even some gorgeous tree stump he kind of wished he could take back to 'Fix it Felix' but of course that wasn't a good idea. Who knew where the stumps came from or where they might actually lead?

He made his way to a platform where a large balloon carrying a ship was gently making a landing.

He walked up to the door and knocked. He wasn't sure why he knocked other then he fact that despite his rough exterior he did have manners. No answer.

He knocked hardened and the door swung open. He cautiously stuck his head in reminding himself that if he died here it would be game over for him for good.

He had just stepped in when someone suddenly ran into him. He turned and quickly grabbed them and then blinked at what he saw. Malcolm's face sat on a very lush body. Large breast sagged inside his shirt and his new hips and ass had made his pants split. His voice was high and squeaky with anger and horror.

" Make her change me back! Make her change me back right now!"

Ralph couldn't help it. He sniggered. " I dunno Malcolm it might be the new you. You should try it a while see if you like it."

Malcolm's flushed face went redder. " I'm gonna tell everyone she manipulated my codes! She'll be in big trouble! You tell her to change me back right now or I'll...I'll..."

Dani's voice suddenly spoke up from a short flight of stairs she came up from.

" You'll what? Tell everyone you were manipulating your own codes? Their gonna wanna know how I found your codes if you didn't know anything about them. Gonna tell them about that drugged wine? Gotta a feeling a few women might come forward Malcolm it would look bad for you...they might even force your game to go turbo and get it unplugged for good. Besides as soon as you reset you'll be back to your handsome charming self...unless you piss me off and I decide to delay your reset button."

Malcolm quaked and Ralph let him go him go disgust and brushed his overalls off. Dani met his eyes and cocked a brow at him quizzically. " What are you doing here? "

" I came to rescue you." Ralph blushed realizing how truly lame that sounded now. Especially since she had proven she could take care of herself.

" Oh." Dani looked at him a moment longer then cleared her throat. " Thanks."

Ralph nodded not able to meet her gaze.

" Hey want to see something neat? "

" Uh sure." Ralph followed her down the steps leaving Malcolm quaking in front of his mirror.

" Ok this is the game code. See anything odd?"

Ralph linked he saw nothing but a mess of blocks and wires and connections every where, Dani sighed and placed her hand on his large shoulder pointing. " Right there!"

Ralph blinked. Seeming to free float around the game was a small ball of what looked like static electricity but he wasn't sure. It snapped out short branches of lightening as it floated by.

"That's me!" Dani said. " I'm trying to figure out how to get it out of there."

Ralph shook his head. He reached out to t ouch it and promptly got zapped for his troubles. Luckily it wasn't fatal and merely made him jerk teeth clacking together and causing his hair to stand on end.

Dani looked worried then amused whens he saw he was ok.

" Well let's see if I can touch it." She reached out with one hand then hesitated and switched to the hand that glowed with the effects of the lightening. She touched it and gasped when the light promptly disappeared into her hands. Her whole body glitched briefly.

***** Real Life ****

Unseen Dani's whole body jerked briefly a gasp leaving her mouth before she settled back into her death like sleep.

*** Game Life ***

Ralph frowned "You ok?"

"Yea fine..." She shook her hand " Just tingled for a minute." She backed away from the code not wanting to cause anymore mischief then she had. Ralph followed her up the steps and bit his lip trying not to laugh at Malcolm who was bawling like a baby. Dani shook her head and rolled her eyes knowing that the game would reset as soon as quarter was put in.

Once they made it back to 'Fix it Felix Jr' ( after being stopped by the surge protector of course ) Dani set down to think. Ralph handed her a cherry from Pac Man which she nibbled on delicately.

" So? Was that your code or not?"

Dani shook her head. " I don't see how I can even have a code. I mean I was hit by lightening right? So what could possibly pull me into a game? My body is solid it's not code so the hit couldn't have turned me into a game character."

Ralph nodded. He would have loved to have given some insight to the conversation but he couldn't think of anything to add. The whole thing was weird and that's as deep as his thoughts went.

Dani munched a bit longer her mind turning the puzzle over and over. Suddenly she paused and looked at her hand were the lightening had left it's long glowing mark.

" Electricity?"

Ralph glanced at her.

" Excuse me? "

Dani looked at him her eyes wide and excited " Electricity means life in my world! We have electricity that carries impulses to our brain our heart everything...maybe...maybe some of that electricity, that part of my life, got picked up by the lightening , a bigger form of electricity and moved it into the game which has the capability to move and harness electricity!"

She leaped up and began pacing " That makes sense! You can't destroy energy you can only change it from one plane to another! Oh my God Ralph! I think I've figured it out!"

Ralph nodded not sure what the hell she was going on about but he still felt a little sick to his stomach when he asked " So how do you get home? "

Dani's face fell.

" I don't know." She replied.


	23. Chapter 23

************** Real Life **************

Dr Malloy stood in the locker room adjusting his tie and buttoning his coat. One of his hands was lightly bruised. He wasn't concerned about trouble from Josh. The stupid man had forgotten that the hallways all had monitors and doubtless he had been recorded sneaking his brother into the hospital. If he dared to try to press charges against Malloy the hospital would simply cross sue him and he would get in much more trouble then the doctor.

Malloy sighed and slammed his locker shut. His blood literally boiled when he thought about what had almost happened what could have happened to Mrs. Mcdeal. He knew if she had been raped and hurt he would never have forgiven himself and he might very well have lost his temper completely and killed the stupid man involved.

Muttering angrily to himself he left the locker room to began his rounds. His first patient was a little boy had fallen off a four wheeler and fractured his skull. While Malloy dealt with that he lectured the father sternly about helmets. He must have still been more annoyed then he thought as he nearly reduced the large man to tears.

Once that was done he headed upstairs to see his regular patients. He saved Mrs. Mcdeal's room for last. He was surprised when he stepped in and saw the RN standing at her bed looking puzzled.

" Is something wrong? " Malloy quickly looked at the patient. She was still gripped in her death like coma but her vitals beeped on the machines indicating all was well in that sense.

The RN shrugged " Well I thought I heard her speaking...you know..out loud. Like she was talking to herself. " The RN chuckled weakly " Silly isn't it? "

" No no not at all!" Malloy said running his hand through his hair mussing it up. " I've heard of patients in comas singing, talking, crying...we just don't know if they actually are trying to respond to real stimuli or if their body is compelled to make motions and noises like you might find in dreamers."

The RN looked a bit relieved. " Ah another doctor was here looking for you sir. Something about alternate treatments."

" O for the love of...yes yes blast it. Let me just do my check up on her and finish my rounds and I'll track him down."

Dr Shane and his damn electroshock therapy. Malloy was still not willing to try it. He checked over Mrs Mcdeal and then settled next to the bed.

" Well Mrs. Mcdeal anything new you'd like to share with me? I know you feel you need help and you've confessed an interesting phobia of snow, which by the way I'd really like to learn more about, and basically you've just teased me with a phrase here and there. Have pity on this poor ol country boy."

Dani merely breathed deeply unresponsive.

" Well maybe a little about me then. I'm from a very small town in West Virginia. Uh I was a wrestler in school that was about all I could do as big as I am. Um, I never saw hilly billy cannibals except for the tax collector heh heh. OH I raised up a prize bull that sold for darn near 2 grand. I suppose that's about the most exciting thing about me um never been married...been close but huh...no ring."

He looked at her hoping she might respond. Her lips seemed to have curled up in amusement but that could easily be his imagination. He sighed and reached out and took her hand in his own large one.

" Don't give up on me Mrs. Mcdeal, I've got a few things I'm going to start trying to get you woke up and back to life so we can go fishing."

He patted her hand and sighed. He stood up and covered her up smoothing the blanket down. He turned and left the room not noticing her hand hovered for a moment as if reaching for someone and then slowly rested back to it's position on her blanket. She was indeed smiling.

********Game Life*******

" What are you smiling at? " Ralph asked tossing Vanellope up and into a pool of soda spritz. All the racers loved swimming in it and splashing around. It was not only fun but gave them a break from racing.

" You would have made a great father Ralph." Dani said grinning at him. It was easy to see he honestly loved Vanellope and she cared about him just as much.

Ralph blushed and chuckled " Yea well, you know over the years the code runs your life and I guess I never got any side stories that involved a wife and kid."

He picked up another racer and tossed her. Her delighted scream filling the air.

" I do love kids though." Ralph[h said thoughtfully.

" Hey you two come swim!" Vanollope demanded " Don't be a poo head Ralph I know how much you like cannon balling into the lake and washing us all out!"

Dani chuckled " He does does he? "

" He does! Hey we're all going up to powder mountain after wards for some skying and snow boarding you wanna come?"

"No." Dani said shortly.

Seeing the crestfallen look on Vanollope's face she added " Thank you."

Vanollope sat on the edge of the pool with her the shadows of the peppermint candy trees casting interesting shadows every where.

" You know...you don't have to be afraid here. Me and Ralph would never let anything hurt you. You know that don't you? "

" Vanollope I..I can't. I'm sorry."

" Just let it go squirt we can do something else. " Ralph cut in, Dani looked so sad. " We could uh hike through the lollipop forest. It's really nice and the sun shines through them and makes rainbows everywhere."

" Why are you so scared of snow? "

Ralph sighed " Vanollope..."

" Aw come on you can at least tell us can't you? Maybe it would help or maybe it would help us get you over your fear."

" Oh I don't know it's kind of painful to talk about it." Dani felt her hand sliding around the muffin chair she was sitting in and suddenly her fingers we were intertwined with Ralph's large ones. He met her eyes and for a moment they just gazed at each other. Vanollope grinned.

" Hey if you're done with the goo goo eyes I'd love to hear this story Dani. "

" Well..." Dani frowned.

" Hey I'll make a trade...you wanna check out our code? Tell me what's up and if you do I'll take you to the castle and show you right were the codes are."

"Vanollope!" Ralph scolded.

" What? I trust her with our codes. After what happened to me I shouldn't trust anyone with our codes ever again! Don't be such a diaper baby Ralph, come on. I'm willing to face my fears if you tell me about yours."

" Oh come on...black mail? I mean really? " Ralph shook his head and crossed his arms knowing he would likely be out gunned by the president of Sugar Rush..she had a way of always getting her way.

Dani shook her head and chuckled. " Well...alright...I'll try to tell my tale..."

She took a deep breath and glanced around. The other racers simply ignored her. But Ralph sat on one side of her keeping her safe and Vanollope sat on her other side looking pretty tough herself. Her face was alight with curiosity.

Dani sighed and folded her hands already feeling her palms sweating.

" This happened a long time ago..."


	24. Chapter 24

Before I continue there will be love scenes between Ralph and Dani I would like to know if my readers prefer hardcore detailed love scenes involving foreplay and sex or would you prefer I round it off with and 'they were one' and move on to the next chapter? Please leave a response.


	25. Chapter 25

Six year old Daniel Mcdeal stared excited out the windows of her parents minivan. They had been on vacation and had hit the snowy mountains of Georgia. To Dani's childish eyes everything was magical. Frozen water hung here and there from the side of the mountain and sparkled like jewels. The snow was so fabulously clean it kicked off hundreds of sparkles like diamonds.

Her father had glanced at her in the rear view mirror and winked. To her he was the most handsome wonderful man alive and her mother was surely the beautiful. Her father's warm brown eyes sparkled with good humor and joy. He enjoyed the life of a simple man and his family was everything to him. He went out of his way to spoil his only daughter whom he believed would be the most intelligent woman the world had ever seen. She was already a math whiz and she was picking up technical skills that most teenagers couldn't do.

Her mother turned to her and tucked her platinum blonde hair behind her ear to smile at Dani. Her eyes were a deep blue and mesmerizing. She smiled showing off white perfect teeth and offered her daughter a drink from her pooh bear sippy cup.

Dani took her cup and sucked at it looking around again. She could look out the drivers side of the window and look down past trees to the frozen lake below. She had gotten her mothers platinum white hair and her father's dimples. Being gifted however left her with few friends. Most of the kids she knew that were her age were boring to her. She set her cup down and began to day dream about numbers. She loved thinking about big numbers. Like a million times a million multiplied by nine then divided by 16.

She took them apart put them together and at the same time she made invented wheels and cogs and physical science that would move them and connect them. She heard her mother's voice and pulled her attention away from her inner game.

" David let's pull over it's getting dark."

" No!" Dani cried " Please take me to the top! Daddy you said you'd take us to the top and I'd get to see ski lifts with people on them!"

" Dani sweetheart you know daddy would do anything for you but it is getting kind of dark out and we won't be able to see anything at night."

" Well then we should just go to the top daddy and stay there so we can see the lifts tomorrow!"

Her mother sighed " Dani I know you don't understand but it can be unsafe to drive at night..."

" But mommy you drive at night all the time and you said the only reason people won't drive at night is because other people aren't safe drivers! You said daddy was the safest and that's why you made him drive up the mountain!"

Her mother had chuckled shaking her head softly. " Honestly Dani..."

" Puh-leeaase?!" Dani's eyes filled with tears " Daddy you said you wouldn't go back on your promise like you did the last time!"

Her father flinched and sighed. " You don't have to remind me that I had to cut our vacation short and we didn't get on the lifts Dani! "

Dani sniffled. She had been gifted. Yet on that day she had still been very much a child. So she had cried and begged and her father had caved in agreeing it would be good to get a hotel room at the top of the mountain and see the lifts in the morning and he had driven past a turnoff he had missed seeing because he had been busy making funny faces at his daughter trying to cheer her up.

Her mother had teased them both also not noticing the turn off or the half buried sign.

" Honestly Dani maybe you should be a lawyer." Her mother teased " Arguing with you is like being in a courtroom."

" Look at that beautiful sunset." Her father said motioning out his window. It was indeed beautiful and set off the white snow in the valley below. It had been warmer that day then the previous and it had snowed on top of that so the conditions had been ripe for what happened.

While Dani dreamed again of numbers and wheels that turned and moved her mother suddenly screamed staring out her window. There was a hissing sound and Dani looked around confused thinking maybe they had a tire leaking air. The hissing had become a roar.

" Oh MY GOD GO FASTER!" Her mother had screamed.

Dani had looked out her mother's side and saw nothing but white. Suddenly the minivan had spun and was pulled up from the road and swept down the side of the mountain. Dani had screamed for her father to save her. The show had acquired teeth and claws though they had actually been branches and debris. The way they pressed against the window however made them look like hungry hands. The van flipped and then bounced off a tree that had refused to be uprooted. Her father's window had smashed inward her father's head hitting it and bouncing loosely off it again. Her mother had still been screaming and Dani had still been looking out her mother's side of the van screaming at the claws that scratched and scraped and tried to get in.

The van stopped moving but it wasn't until Dani was hoarse that she finally took her eyes off the window on her mother's side. All she saw was white and claws and sharp things poking in her father's side window. She glanced further back and saw just behind her here was a sliver of window that was clear and facing the sky which was getting darker. The window had been knocked partially inward.

There was a low bubbling chuckling sound that scared her. She called to her mom and then her dad but they didn't answer her. She was too young to understand the concept of death but they fact they didn't answer her scared her more then the snow. Then she saw what was making the noise. The corner of the van on the passenger side had a small amount of water trickling in. It was freezing to fast to fill up the van anytime soon the crack in the ice not deep enough to swallow the van whole but Dani watched helplessly as the ice built upon itself more and more.

After it was dark she finally gave up on her parents. She wiggled out of her seat and scrambled to the back of the van were she could see the sky. It also held their things, She dug out the heavy fleece blanket and wrapped up in it. She shivered unable to take her eyes off the window covered in show with things here and there pressing hungrily against the window.  
She stood up and called softly for her mom and dad again but received nothing. The water had frozen completely over her mother's feet. The ice was no longer beautiful the snow no longer sparkled and she was afraid the minute she closed her eyes the snow would burst in and eat her up.

She had stayed up all night. Her body had finally forced her to sleep as the sun came up. When she woke up from where she was buried under her coat a blanket and two sweaters her worse fear had been realized. The snow was shifting and moving and the branches moved with a scratching sound as it clawed at the glass. She had started screaming again. She had continued to scream after the rescuers pulled her from the van. She had stopped screaming briefly when they sedated her but once she was at the hospital looking out at the window that was covered in frost she had started screaming again.

The hospital and the local police had done their best to find family for her but she had no one. He parents had been her whole world. The had relocated her to a hospital away from the mountains where the snow barely showed up. They had spoke of therapy to her social worker but between getting her back to Florida where she had lived and getting her into the foster care system therapy had been spotty. She had been hard to place. She had smashed one foster homes entire snow globe collection. She still woke up in what was called night terrors. Sometimes she dreamed of the snow and ice coming after her. Other times it was her mother and father who were angry at her for killing them.

Her father had died instantly from head trauma. Although she hadn't been forced to see it her mother's side had been pieced with a branch from the same tree that had smashed her father's window. Dead and rotting they chased her through a maze of snow and ice telling her again and again that it had been getting dark out and if she hadn't been a bad girl they would still be with her but since she had been bad she had been given to strangers who couldn't seem to deal with her night terrors and her irrational fear and anger.

When she finally came of age she had her anger under control. She dealt with he fear by avoiding snow and ice sabotaging her own ice machine in her freezer. Just one of the wonderful things she had her husband would fight about right up there with her occasional night terrors that left her weeping and clinging to him trying to feel safe in his arms until he finally started turning his back on her.

******* Present ******

" When I turned that corner and saw those hills and all that white..."

" Wow." Vanollope looked suitably impressed " No wonder you freaked out. I would freak out to if something that awful happened to me."

Ralph shook his head and said the only thing he could really think of. It had actually been bothering him a lot.

" Your husband was a stupid ass."

Dani glanced up at him from her hands and gave him a wan smile. " Well Ralph I definetly won't argue there."

" What kind of man won't take care of his wife and make her feel safe? I mean if your goanna be with someone they should always make you feel safe." He continued a bit indigently. It bugged him. Not just the principle but that someone had had Dani in their life, got to wake up next to her and fall asleep next to her and what had they done? They had thrown her love back in her face. Left her alone with her terror.

He heartily wished he could meet the guy. He wouldn't have to worry about keeping anyone safe when Ralph got done with him. He suddenly realized that Dani and Vanollope were staring at him.

" Getting ready to have a tantrum diaper baby?" Vanollope asked smirking.

" No. I don't know. Maybe. It just pisses me off." He grumped. Maybe he should smash a jaw breaker. He eyed the helpless balls of candy.

Dani cleared her throat. Her eyes were shiny but the tears refused to fall. She had stopped crying in her life a long time ago. It never helped her.

" Well madam president I upheld the end of my bargain. Where's your code at?"


	26. Chapter 26

Good God Turbo must have had the patience of a saint to deal with all this! Dani thought floating through the complicated web of code in " Sugar Rush ". Vanollope and Ralph waited for her at the opening of the code room.

Dani's eyes skipped over the code. Most of it was useless for her she was looking for one particular anomaly.

" Ah!" She said spotting a small snapping ball of electricity. She frowned when it's tendrils hit a couple of codes close by and caused them to glitch. She hurried over as fast as she could and reached out her arm, the one that glowed faintly in a branching tree pattern and the just like that the ball was inside her.

She turned to pull herself back on the rope around her waist when she paused looking at her hands. They were fading again panicked she called out to Ralph.

He quickly reeled her in.

************ Real Life ****************************************

Dr. Malloy sighed. He had put Dani on a medication that had helped a few patients out of their comas but she had thus far shown no reaction.

He took her vitals into account asked her to squeeze his hand and then moved to gently lift one of her eye lids to check her pupils.

Suddenly both of her lovely blue eyes snapped open. She seized his hand with almost frantic zeal and suddenly he was looking into her eyes and she was looking back at him. Shocked he simply stared mouth slightly open.

She looked confused and reached out a hand to place it on his jaw.

" Ralph? " She ran her hand up his jaw to sink her fingers briefly into his brown hair " What are you doing outside my dream?"

Her hand fell away and he caught it even as she settled back onto the bed her face once again taking that peaceful look. A quick check still holding her hand showed her eyes were nonreactive once again. She had simply sunk back into her coma as quickly as she had pulled out of it.

" Well shit!" Malloy winced and glanced over to see if any of the nurses were nearby. His mother would wash his mouth with soap if she ever heard him cuss in front of a lady. Suddenly he turned back startled to Dani. The enormity of what happened suddenly hit him.

" My God she woke up! She woke up and knew my name! Wait...how did she know my name? Pshaw who cares! She woke up ! NURSE! NURSE!"

He hit a call button. That medication must have done something. He would increase the dosage just a bit more.

Excited by this display of consciousness he grabbed her chart and recorded the event and the procedure that would happen next.

" Mrs. McDeal we'll beat this thing yet by God! I promise you! This is wonderful!"

***********************Game life **********************************

" This is horrible!" Dani moaned. " My God what if I disappear forever? What if...what if something's happening to my body?"

" What's going on snow?! I'm lost!"

Dani took a deep breath and explained to Vanollope her theory.

" The lightning separated some part of me...an electrical pulse and dragged it into the game. That's why I have no code but I can interact with the games anyway. But I had a horrible thought...every time I collect pieces of my conscious...I start to fade away...what if...what if my body out there is dying? What if I'm only still alive in a coma because I'm alive here? I mean if I die in a game does that mean my body will die with me? Or will I just stay in a coma? I think...I think I get stronger every time I peace more of myself together but how do I get back to my body once I'm whole? Another thing exactly what is it that's missing from my body? My soul? Electrical impulses in my brain? That would explain the coma wouldn't it? "

"Jeeze my head hurts." Vanollope said rubbing her head. " This is so confusing...I mean...how can you be you know...alive...but in here? "

Dani shook her head. " I'm not in here...some electrical impulse that's part of my electromagnetic field is in here...I'm out there in a coma and I'm not really alive I'm kind of...suspended I think."

Ralph scratched his head. He really wasn't as dumb as he looked but the whole out of body experience thing was beyond him. Tentatively he asked her the question that had been on his mind since this whole mess began.

" Uh...is there a part of you in every game in the arcade?"

Dani looked startled then horrified " Good God I hope not! That will take forever! Not to mention I'd be thrown in jail by the surge protectors even if I tell them what I'm doing! They won't let me put everyone's game at risk! Oh my God!"

She sat down and covered her face for a moment trying hard to think. She was smart...in fact not to brag but she was a damn prodigy..she had just chosen to forget that after her parents had been killed. Now her mind felt rusty as she began to turn her problem around in her head trying out theories and discarding them and coming up with new ones.

" Uh Dani...we need to go back to my game the arcade opens in 15 minutes." Ralph said. He felt useless and Dani looked so lost he just wanted to pick her up and hold her and tell her everything would be ok even though he didn't know any such thing.

Dani nodded still occupied. Ralph bid vanollope a farewell and allowed Sour Bill to drive them back to the arcade train out to game central. To his shock the surge protector didn't pull him...for once. He went into his game and led Dani to the fire pit she had built and sat her down. He knelt in front of her and took her hands patting them.

" Look, we won't give up, you got here somehow so therefore somehow you can get back out."

He paused. Dani stared at him for a moment then her mouth quirked up slightly. " You're in my dreams you know."

Ralph blinked at her. " huh?"

She nodded solemnly. " You're in my dreams...when I fade out, pass put, whatever I still see you except...you're always wearing this white coat and you're hair's shorter but you're always with me, comforting me."

Ralph found himself blushing. He'd never been told by a woman that she had dreams about him. " Uh well...I mean...that's good right? Their good dreams right? I dream about you too."

She raised her brows looking amused and he hastily clarified his comment.

" Good dreams! I mean like...we spend time doing fun stuff...and having picnics...not here in dump of course...and we hold hands...but not like..not like mushy stuff but like...uhh well anyway. I gotta go wreck the building."

He leaped up and backed up tripping over a stray brick and catching himself before he could humiliate himself by falling on his ass.

" Anyway you think of anything you want to try and as soon as the arcade closes I'll help you with anything you want to do. I mean if you want me to...I will...I..uh I gotta go." He waved at her and hurried off to the building his face flushed darker then Felix had ever managed on his worse honey glow days.

Dani laughed softly. Then turned her attention to her shoes. She picked up a stick and began writing out symbols on the ground.

" Ok Dani...it's time to Encyclopedia Brown this bitch. Get the old think tank working."

****some techi stuff coming up next I'll try to keep it short and not get too boring heading into more love scenes finally hope everyone is still enjoying the show what do you guys think so far? Getting too long?****


	27. Chapter 27

After the arcade closed Felix waited for his wife at the train stop while Ralph walked over to the fire pit where Dani was kneeling muttering to herself and scratching out weird looking number sand shapes in the dirt.

She didn't notice him so he simply paused a moment not wanting to interrupt her. He studied her a moment. Her clothes were filthy and he winced realizing he hadn't though to ask her if she wanted Mary to wash them. Like wise her hair had lost some of it's shine. He supposed being an kind of ethereal building caused static electricity that picked up stray molecules of the game world and made her dirty. even standing next to he, he felt a kind of " pull".

Of course it could also have been gas. Or even nothing but wishful thinking on his part. He would really really like to kiss her again. He suddenly remembered she had matching lacy undergarments. He stomped down hard on his thought and cleared his throat.

Dani sat back looking pleased." I think I finally figured it out!"

" Well hey that's great!" Ralph said trying to sound enthused. If she figured it out did that mean she was leaving?

" Figured what out? " Felix and Calhoun stepped up and walked around until they see th shapes and drawings in the dirt.

Dani stood up pleased and pointed to a stick figure.

" This is a person produces electric energy that's used by neurons to carry information and help the brain assimilate information. "

The three game characters nodded slowly hoping this wouldn't be a big long technical lecture.

" Ok now every impulse is the same size and they create energy fields around the body." She drew a circle around her stick figure.

Now energy waves can travel and be absorbed negative and positive ones and this causes energy transfer...that's why some people make other people tired by taking their energy or make them happy by giving them positive energy.

The three looked confused.

" We call them psychic vampires it's like..never mind uh.. so uh magnetic induction or electric fields can be absorbed as life force! Because it's electricity in it's most basic form that's why I'm in a coma! I don';t have enough life force to wake up because half of my life force got ripped away by the lightning and got dropped off here!"

She stood up excited. " Don't you see? I can get back! I can wake up! I just need to figure out how to get enough electricity to help me leave."

" You're not going to set yourself on fire are you?" Calhoun asked crossing her arms and arching her brows at Dani.

" Well no...I'm actually kind of stuck now. I'll think of something though."

" Let us know if we can help." Felix said. He had no idea what she had been talking about but some of it had made sense enough for him to get a general idea of what was going on.

Ralph just stood there and looked at the marks in the dirt.

" You're gonna leave me aren't you."

He looked as amazed as Dani did by what he had just said. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth then closed it.

Dani raised her hands up to her side " Ralph...it isn't that I wouldn't want to stay with you but I have a body out there. It's still alive but how long will that last with half my life force gone? I'm probably getting weaker every day I'm here and if I die out there won't I die in here?"

Ralph glanced around kicking briefly at the dirt looking like a large boy who's lost his best friend.

Dani walked slowly over and motioned him down. He knelt down so she could easier reach his face. For a moment she rested her forehead against his and stroked his cheeks. Brushed through his hair. He closed his eyes it felt like light the lightest of feathers was caressing him.

" So uh...does that mean if you could stay...and I asked you to stay...you'd stay with me? "

Dani pulled a away and looked at him " Yea...if I could stay I would. Your a wonderful man. Your funny but strong and you have loads of heart and I've even seen some really good manners come out of th rough country boy look."

They grinned at each other briefly.

Dani cleared her throat and glanced around. " Ralph remember when you said I could kiss you without asking? "

Ralph nodded flushing.

" Well I'm going to kiss you without asking." Dani grinned wider at him and then leaned forward to press her lips against his.

For a moment he was stiff thinking this might be a bad idea. Except he really wanted to kiss her. Except he had really been thinking about this since the LAST time he had kissed her. Except he could hear Satan on his shoulder cheering him on again and what the hell was going on with that?!

When she gently bit his lip he threw the towel and and simply wrapped his arms around her waist and stood up leaving her feet to dangle over the ground while she was pressed tightly against him.


	28. Chapter 28

Calhoun stifled a grin realizing Dani and Ralph had apparently forgotten her and Felix were RIGHT there. She leaned down to Felix who looked utterly amazed as Dani enthusiastically kissed Ralph. He couldn't remember Ralph ever kissing anyone. Actually now that he thought of it he couldn't ever remember anyone ever kissing Ralph either.

" Well I'll be..." Felix jumped slightly as his wife leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"Sweetheart...I'm pretty sure this is our que to leave."

Felix nodded " uh yea..." He started to say good bye then realized they were REALLY being ignored since Dani was slowly running her hands down Ralph's broad chest and didn't look like she was going to stop any time soon. He spun around quickly and grabbed his wife hopping away before he saw alot more then he wanted to see.

' Go for it big guy' he thought with a grin getting onto the train.

" Are they gone? " Dani mumbled against Ralph's neck. She followed this with a quick nip that caused Ralph to jerk slightly.

" Uh who?"

Dani laughed. She blew a raspberry against Ralph neck which shocked a giggle out of him. Dani thought that was so cute she did it again.

" What are you doing?! That tickles!" He pulled her away from him eye balling her while she dangled from his hands and grinned at him.

" Aw come on baby lighten up! Hey are you ticklish anywhere else? "

Ralph raised his brows ' Baby?' Did she just call him 'Baby?' "

" I didn't know I was ticklish at all."

" Let's go inside and find out!" She dropped a sultry wink letting him know she apparently had more then tinkling in mind.

" Okay, okay whoa girl! Slow down. You're gonna cause me to have heart failure. This is really really really new to me and uh..."

She was pouting at him. It had to be the most adorable thing he'd ever seen other than Vanollope pouting at him. He sighed. He was sucker. He still wasn't convinced this was a wise idea but there was something he remembered his mother saying...well something she'd been programmed in his fake memories to say ...

' Ralph you won't learn to swim if you don't get in the bathtub! '

" Alright...lemme just..uh put out the fire."

Dani stepped back from him and crossed her arms giving him a half smile" Just don't put out your fire again on me like you did the last time." She looked wistful.

" That really hurt my feelings Ralph."

"It did?" Ralph paused in the act of stomping out the fire and burned his foot. He hopped a moment then finished putting it out talking to her distractedly.

" I'm really sorry about that but I didn't want to hurt you...not just you know your feelings but uh well I'm really big and your not and uh...well...you don't feel like anyone else...your not a shell of pixels you feel more I dunno solid..."

He used his other foot to shove dirt over the embers.

"...and well you kind of make me tingle all over..."

He was still shoveling dirt onto the pile in front of him and Dani wondered if he intended to bury the whole site. He had also started mumbling something about..did he say Satan? No no it was Sateen...

" Ralph? I think that's pretty well covered by now."

Ralph blushed looking at the pile in front of him. Way overboard. Way to go man, you're a bumbling idiot.

He jerked slightly surprised when she suddenly threw her arms around his large arm. She just barely crossed her hands over his bicep.

" Hey big guy...it's ok...this is strange for me too...but I'm pretty sure being we're not real in a real world sense we're definitely not going to have whatever problem you think we're going to have...if I thought that...well trust me there's alot of ways people can show their in lo...attracted to each other."

" There is? " Ralph could have slapped himself . Could he possibly embarrass himself anymore?

" I've never...uh been with a anyone...uh..ever." He felt himself going red and was tempted to run his hands up and down his body to make sure he wasn't catching fire from his own stupidity. Why in the world had he admitted that?!

Dani smiled up at him then slid her hand down to take his " I kinda figured that...it's ok...if you'll just trust me...I'm pretty sure we can figure this out."

An hour later Ralph looked both horrified and miserable even though Dani was trying to calm him while rubbing her head.

" I am so sorry! I don't know..what happened...are you ok? Don't move I'll get some ice from the nice landers!"

" Ralph! Stop! It's ok really...I just won't do that next time it wasn't your fault...I wasn't thinking..."

She hadn't been thinking damn it. What an embarrassing fiasco. They had come inside and rather than hop into bed she had pulled him to his chair climbing on top of him. It had been wonderful...they had kissed and touched each other going slowly and leisurely desire heating both of them up.

She had managed to get his top shirt off and has run her hands under his t shirt feeling his skin and the muscles rippling underneath. He had taken off her shirt but had been too shy too move further than that so she had taken off her bra and then things had really gotten interesting.

Following her lead he had started using his mouth to taste her lips. Then her neck making her giggle when bit her ear. He had done that again laughing softly thrilled he had found a ticklish spot on her. She had used her hands to guide his into cupping her breasts and all laughter had ended. She had never felt so wonderful in her life. He felt wonderful. She had wanted more they were going too slow. Her first big mistake.

She literally climbed up him pressing her soft breasts against his mouth and she had gone weak when he gently suckled on them and then...well. She wasn't a hundred percent sure but he had leaned too far back in his chair holding her tightly against him and the whole thing had tipped back smacking his head against the floor causing him to bite down a little harder then he meant too near her collar bone and Dani who had been higher up then she should have been had smacked her head against the wall. Luckily it was only a light knock being that Ralph was so big he had acted like a cushion keeping her from braining herself into another coma.

Now she sat on the bed frustrated and irritated..why hadn't she moved them to the bed? She held her shirt up against her naked torso watching Ralph struggling into his shirt and pulling his overalls up and trying to comfort her at the same time.

" I think you need to lay down you have a bump coming up on your head! You might have concussion! I'm gonna go get Doc Mario and ohhh man you've a bruise coming up where I bit you! I'm so sorry! I'll uh I'll get something for that too..."

" Ralph please stop..."

" Damn I knew it! I knew you were gonna get hurt why didn't I listen to myself!? What was I thinking!? Oh man I need to get you some ice right now..why aren't you laying down? You're hurt!"

" RALPH!" Much to her joy her shout froze him on the spot. That guilty 'oh I'm a bad boy' look on his face didn't change however.

" Ralph I'm ok? Ok?" She stood up and walked over to the fallen chair to pick up her bra and put it on sliding her shirt over her head. A glance at him showed him tense ready to catch her if she decided to collapse. She rolled her eyes and glanced at the mirror. Wow she really did have a goose egg coming up, a tiny one.

Dani sighed. She turned to look at Ralph and smiled at him. The smile she got back was pretty sad. She sighed again.

" Ok...since this is not going to go any further today...why don't we go to tappers. A drink would be nice and I really think we both need one."

Ralph wrung his hands looking unsure. She had a bad feeling if she let him he'd wrap her up like a mummy and use a board as a stint to keep her immobile and stick her in a glass case.

Man what a fiasco.

" Ralph? Please? I'm ok, I'm just embarrassed this isn't going to be a thing that happens every time if we're careful but since I don't think your feeling anymore adventurous than I am at the moment...really let's get a drink...in fact let's get a drink and go see Vanollope how bout that? You can beat up some jaw breakers."

Ralph rubbed his face with one hand still unable to believe how fast his romantic night had gone downhill but still. Beating up jaw breakers sounded like a good way to work out some frustration. Damn he was a sucker he should throw her over his shoulder and take her to Doc Mario. He sighed heavily and looked at her smiling expectant face.

" Ok. But I'm carrying you all the way there. There's no way I'm gonna let you walk after a hit like that!"

The smile dropped off her face and Ralph mentally patted himself on the back. Maybe he wasn't such a sucker after all.


	29. Chapter 29

**Real Life**

"I'm telling you she woke up and knew my name! She looked right at me and and made perfect sense! A full sentence in fact! I don't know how she knew my name or why she went right back out..."

" Name tag."

Malloy blinked at Dr. Shane " Pardon? "

" Your name is on your name tag Dr. Malloy."

" What? Oh..well that makes sense well no it doesn't't..." He checked his tag real quick " It just says Dr. Donovan R. Malloy...how could she know the R stood for Ralph? No one calls me that but my family! Still even if it did she woke up and could speak and read and move!"

He literally hopped over to the patients bed and peered down at her hopefully " I'm telling you she was fully awake for about 5 minutes and I believe the medication I'm trying is the cause of that don't you think? "

" Your name is Ralph?" Dr. Shane looked amused. " Donovan Ralph Malloy? "

" I don't want to up the dosage too much though the side effects kind of worry me..."

" Not Donovan Raphael Malloy? "

" ..but if the meds did cause her to wake up however briefly I really need to..."

" Ralph is so...Bohemian."

" What do you think? "

" I just told you what I thought..."

Malloy literally growled " Not about my name you bone head about her treatment!"

Dr. Shane sighed. " Alright look I would advise not upping the dose yet. I'd say give her at least another 48 hours or so maybe she'll start waking up in longer periods."

Malloy nodded " Yes I think you're right. Excellent idea! I'll have the nurses check her more often we might get lucky."

He smiled down at the woman in the bed and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. " Mrs. Mcdeal we'll be ready next time you want to wake up and tell us something!"

" Well let's go Ralph other patients to see." Dr. Shane said cheerfully. Malloy glowered briefly at him then casually walked over. As he passed the shorter man he paused and leaned closer to Dr. Shane's ear.

" I'd rather be named Ralph then Dick." that said he sauntered off while Dr. Shane looked startled and flushed glancing at his own name tag which formally read ' Dr. Patel D. Shane '.

************Game Life*************

"What do you mean Vanellope's not here? How can she be not here when she can't leave the game?!"

Sour Bill looked worried and wrung his hands " I don't know but we've been looking since the arcade closed! She announced the roster race and then went to the castle to get a different go kart...nobodies seen her since!"

Dani frowned and glanced around. It was simple game with complex graphics but it wasn't a huge world. You could drive and drive and drive if you lived here but eventually unless you went out one of two exits you would hit the walls of the boundaries of the game.

" Where have you looked? "

Sour Bill gave her an irritated look " Where havn't we looked? The security guards are out in the candy cane forest, all the racers are out on the tracks and obstacle courses, all the subjects are covering the lollipop forest, the chocolate waterfall, the castle and the laffy taffy forest!"

Ralph looked worried " What if something happened like an accident? What if she accidentally sank in the Nesquick sand? "

Dani put her hand on his arm " Don't worry Ralph she can't die in her game she's stable enough now to regenerate on her own."

At his look and seeing Sour Bill eyeing her she grinned guiltily " I checked her code to make sure."

Ralph sighed he didn't want to waste time taking her to task for poking her nose in someone else's code when she had promised she wouldn't but that had given him piece of mind. Then he frowned. " Dani CAN she leave her game now? I never saw her try."

Dani looked startled then glanced at Bill again. " I don't know I didn't look that close but listen here...take me back let me look at her code maybe I can tell where she is or at least see where she last was."

Sour Bill started to shake his head and then spotted Ralph glaring at him. " I'll lick you and stick you on a tree if I have to I trust Dani, Vanellope trust Dani and dammit I want to know where she is!"

" Is it possible she just wanted to be alone before the race? " Danio asked. Ralph quickly shook his head.

" No way she would have left me a message!"

There was a screeching sound and suddenly two drivers pulled up. Candle head and Taffieta got out of colorful cars. Taffietta looked ready to cry and candle head was nervously tugging on her hair.

Ralph hurried up to them almost knocking them over. " Well did you guys find anything? "

Candle head shook her head. " We went all over sugar puff mountain..."

" We even found a back road that went down the mountain and then just came to a dead end which is just stupid! "

" So we went back up the main road again and double checked but there's no tracks or anything!" Candle head moaned.

Taffietta started to cry " Something horrible's happened! Vanellope wouldn't do something like this and scare everyone! "

Ralph glowered at Bill. " Let's go!" He pointed to the castle.

20 minutes later Ralph gazed blankly around...there was code everywhere and he was having an awful time staying upright.

Dani had brought them and sour bill into the code of ' Sugar Rush ' pointing out there were thousands of codes in one character and she needed more eyes to help her look faster although Ralph still wasn't sure what he was supposed to be looking for.

" The most codes used tend to be up front." Dani said tapping the square container that had Vanellope's codes inside. immediately thousands of little codes popped up. The ones that were always used that dictated her clothes hair the way she moved and other various things about her in regards to her interaction with her world that didn't change. The rest of the codes lazily swirled around each other sending out pulses waiting to be used.

Sour Bill and Dani stared hard while Ralph tried to flip himself off his back so he was hovering on his stomach bit he couldn't keep himself in that position before he began to float upside down again. The blinking lights were making his head hurt.

Dani studied the thousands of codes contained in Vanellope's structure. She had connections to everything in the game.

" What are we looking for again? Sour bill asked

The brightest boxes are codes in use...I'm hoping we can find one that's a...there! There she is! "

" Where?" Ralph asked trying to flip himself over again.

" Powder sugared mountain." Dani said grimly.

They began to pull themselves out of the code room using the ropes around their waists to pull back into the gravitation of the game.

"We searched there!" Sour Bill said annoyed.

" Me and Ralph didn't search. "

Ralph nodded untying the rope around his waist. " Damn right. Let's go."

Dani followed behind him and sour bill wondered if Ralph had seen how pale she had gotten and her hands trembled. He decided not to say anything about her fear of snow..let her back out on her own.

All that counted was Vanellope be found


	30. Chapter 30

Sour Bill was speaking to the racers again. They had all scattered to Sugar mountain and come back again with nothing.

" Maybe she isn't there? " said Rancis Fluggerbutter nervously scratching his blonde hair then quickly running his hands through it to undo the damage. A quick glance in his mirror showed he looked good.

Dani shook her head. " She's there I'm positive of it."

" But we've looked all over! " Taffietta moaned. " We would have seen her or at least tracks...something! "

Ralph was staring at the mountain worriedly chewing on his lip. Suddenly he had a thought.

" Hey didn't you say you found a dead end? " He asked. A suspicion had formed in his head.

" Yea it was so stupid," Candlehead said " We followed a road that just dead ended into the mountain. I mean we almost crashed for pop tart's sake!"

" Take us there now! " Ralph jumped onto the cart next to Dani . Sour Bill waited until Candlehead was leading the way to follow her.

" What's your thought big guy? " Dani asked

" Vanellope lived in a unfinished bonus section of the game. You had to drive right into the mountain to get into it. Maybe this dead end is actually another unfinished section."

" My God that's brilliant! I'll bet your right! But wait...why would she hide? " Dani asked scratching her arm. Sometimes the glowing branches where the lightning had struck her made her feel like her hairs were standing on end. Like a bad case of static electricity.

Ralph shook his head grimly " She's not hiding. Something's wrong. I can feel it. "

" Good enough for me." Dani said sitting back.

A few moments later fury had her shouting at the top of her lungs.

" Ralph I will NOT let you go in there alone! You might need help and I'm sorry but a bunch of candy kids and Oeros are not as reliable as I am! "

" Look..." Ralph started...

" No YOU look! If you die you don't regenerate! I don't have to worry about that problem so unless you intend to tie me up I'm going in there with you or without you." She softened her voice;

" Ralph...she's my friend too."

Ralph glared at her " Look at you! You're white as a ghost shaking like a leaf and don't think I don't know the look of fear when I see it! You might be more a hindrance then help!"

Dani sucked a breath in. She had thought she had hidden her fear pretty well but when she glanced down she saw he was right. There were rings of sweat on her clothes even though her hands were cold as ice they were shaking rather badly. She looked up at the huge mountain towering over her and felt sick. She clamped down hard on the urge to scream.

Stubbornly she looked up at him " I can't just stand by and do nothing. That's what I had to do as a child. Nothing! At least let me watch your back."

Ralph roughly ran his hands through his hair. " Alright look...let me check it out and if I need help I'll send you a message."

Dani looked doubtful " How?"

Ralph held up his fist. " If I hit the ground believe me you'll feel it."

Sour Bill frowned nervously glancing around " You'll cause an avalanche! "

" Fine...fine just go! " Dani said making a shooing motion at him.

Ralph walked up to the mountain and stared for a moment at the at what seemed to be a solid wall. He leaned in and stuck his hand through it and sure enough his hand went into the mountain as if it didn't exist. He smiled grimly glad he had thought of it. With one last look behind him he stepped inside the mountain and disappeared.

Dani waited. Then she frowned at the guards. " Uh aren't you guys going with him?"

" Well he said if he needed help he give us a signal...so we'll give him a chance to scout the place out." The round donut guard said nervously. He couldn't describe it but he sensed something was very wrong within his game.

" Oh for the love of..." before anyone could stop her Dani rushed into the mountain by herself and disappeared from sight.

For a moment Dani could feel the mountain pressing on her, the snow weighing it down. She swallowed hard and reminded herself it was only powdered sugar. All the white was just graphics...really crappy graphics in her opinion. Inside there was an unfinished ice track that twisted and rolled like a roller coaster. Wicked spikes jutted from the ceiling. The whole place had a blue tint to it making her take on a blueish hue. She frowned and then glanced down relaxing slightly. Ralph foot prints showed up clearly.

She slowly began to follow them. The cavern was immense and had been tunneled almost like a maze with dead ends here and there and u turns with half finished ice tunnels. She slipped around the corner and glanced around and froze when she saw Vanellope.

The girl had been hung off a broken track wrapped in rope like a cocoon with a gag on. She had been knocked out probably to keep her from glitching her way loose. Dani felt her blood boil at the site of the goose egg the poor girl had.

" KID!"

Dani nearly died of fright when Ralph bellowed for Vanellope hurrying out of a tunnel that was opposite the tunnel she had come from. Ralph stopped hands out and for a comical moment he looked like he was trying to prevent himself from being run over by a kart.

" Kid! Kid can you hear me? Wake up! " Ralph jumped up and down a moment but Vanellope was simply too high up. He glanced around frantically and Dani decided it was now or never.

She started to step out to assist him when something large appeared in another tunnel above Vanellope. It looked like a crab fused with a humanoid figure. It was smiling with unholy glee, eyes blazing.

" Well well milk my duds! Wreck it Ralph, I knew you'd come rescue your little friend..."

Ralph stood rock still gaping. " Turbo? How is that possible I saw you burn! "

The man bug thing laughed evilly " I'm a virus Ralph I knew it would never occur to anyone that I would replicate myself someplace safe in case anything happened to me."

The figure climbed down still grinning with malevolence " Now just so there's no confusion for a numbskull like you allow me to lay it out for you...you are going to die..you little friend is going to die...this disgusting game is going to die...actually everyone's going to die. End of the line."

Suddenly Turbo rushed forward picked Ralph up and slung him hard against a wall. Ralph grunted and managed to get to his feet. When Turbo got close enough Ralph managed to grab him and throw him against a pile of tracks. A piece of the track actually pierced his side.

" You'll pay for that you useless excuse for a wrecking machine!" Turbo screamed pulling loose of the tracks.

While all this was happening Dani managed to climb up to where Vanellope hung still out like a light.

Turbo and Ralph came together in a bone jarring move managing to lock hands. However Turbo had extra limbs so he simple tore Ralph away from him and then picked him up and bashed him to the ground.

Dani winced and tore her gaze away from the fight shakily hauling Vannellope up from the track she was hanging from. She then dragged the girl until she was on the ledge and she untied her and took the gag out. She glanced over the ledge and a watched horrified as Turbo picked up Ralph and dragged him through an icy patch that had wicked little ice picks sticking up. Ralph cried out in pain. His shout was cut off when he was casually flung across the cavern. This time he bounced off the wall hard lay still.

" NO! " Dani screamed. She leaped and skidded down the ledge to the ground. Turbo turned to look at her surprised.

" Who on earth are you? "He asked confused " Where did you come from? "

" I'm the bitch you don't piss off and I come from the land of Whoop Ass." Dani snarled.

She rotated her shoulder. Her whole arm was burning and the blue branching pattern was glowing. Dani realized it was electricity.

Turbo laughed at her " Potty mouth potty mouth well once I rip out your tongue you won't have that problem will you?"

He lunged at her.


	31. Chapter 31

Dani ducked under an small ice alcove barely making it away from Turbo.

" Ohhhh I LOVE hide and seek...I'll be IT!" He simply slapped the ice and snow out of the way sending some of it raining down on Dani who cried out in fear. She reacted more out of panic of being buried then being caught by Turbo. She raced to the clearing. She skidded to stop sliding on the slippery ice as one of Turbo's talons crashed in front of her.

He caught hold of her and and held her tight against the icy wall. He drew back his other claw pressing it together to form a wicked jagged point.

" Well...looks like it's game over for you!" Turbo chuckled nastily then a glob of snow hit him in the back of the head.

" Leave her alone you big bully! " Vanellope shouted. When Turbo turned to look at her she glitched onto his hand and grabbed Dani glitching them to the floor.

" Get Ralph!" Dani said looking around for an idea, some inspirations, something. She gasped as Vanellope glitched her away just before she could get smashed flat by Turbo.

The resulting shock made a tremor go through the mountain causing Vanellope and Dani to slide around briefly. There was a cracking noise and Dani glanced up to see thousands of wicked sharp shards of ice hanging from the ceiling. She opened her mouth but Vanellope cut her off.

" Way ahead of you!" She glitched them over to Ralph who was crawling up on all fours shaking his head trying to clear it.

" Hold still damn you!" Turbo snarled curling into a ball and rolling himself swiftly over to where they were.

Vanellope grabbed Ralph's arm and glitched him up towards the ceiling. To her horror she was unable to take both Dani and Ralph. Stunned she stared down at the woman who scrambled helplessly behind a block of ice.

Luckily Turbo was more distracted by where Ralph and Vanellope went missing the fact that Dani had been left behind.

" Hit it!" Vanellope screamed at Ralph glitching back down to grab Dani and bring her to a ledge higher up.

Dani had barely got her feet under her when there was a rumbling sound. She glanced up fear freezing her as she watched part of the ceiling come crashing down on Turbo. He was pinned in half a dozen places.

" AAARRGGGH!" Turbo managed to cover his head but he was pierced straight through in other spots. " You're gonna pay for that you little bitch!"

Vanellope glitched Ralph over to Where Dani was trying to get to her feet. Her face was white with fear. Every where she looked snow and ice seemed to be closing in on her.

Turbo began pulling himself up from the places he'd been impaled sneering angrily up at them.

" Somebody needs to wash your mouth out asshole!" Vanellope called down to him. She looked frantically at Ralph " What do we do? I can't take you both at the same time and he's gonna kill my game!"

Before Ralph could answer Turbo rammed into the wall under the ledge they had been standing on. The ice and snow crumbled beneath their feet. Ralph jumped with a roar that would have done a warrior proud and brought one huge fist down onto Turbo's head. The virus staggered back his head reeling from the blow.

Before he could recover Ralph leaped up and hit him again this time under the chin causing the large creature to flip on it's back it's legs twitching in spasm.

Ralph leaped up on it's belly intending to bash it's skull in when it suddenly reared back and smacked him with on of it's outer arms. Ralph staggered up to his feet almost as soon as he hit the ground. Vanellope glitched by him and dragged him into an area further away from the cave. Dani was already waiting there. They hunkered down breathing hard. They heard Turbo get back to his feet.

" Olly olly oxen free! Come out, come out, wherever you are! "

" Kid," Ralph whispered " why can't you just glitch us both? You can move Karts bigger than Dani is!"

Vanellope shook her head " I don't know she's...heavy she's not a program of pixels she's got like... I don't know weight that we don't have."

" Wow it almost seriously sounds like your telling me I'm fat." Dani whispered glaring at them " Let's talk the schematics later what do we do about that? " She waved her hand towards the large shadow that was moving around the cave looking for them.

" Last time he was drawn to a beacon of fire and burned up...uh...is there any other place in ' Sugar Rush' like that hot cola springs place?" Ralph asked.

There was a loud sound of something hitting the wall and the ground under their feet trembled. Bits of ice and snow rained down briefly. For a moment Dani closed her eyes trying to get her fright under control.

" It's still there Ralph it reset with the rest of my game but it's on the other side of 'Sugar Rush' and oh my gosh!" Vanellope looked frightened " My friends are right outside! Helpless! If Turbo goes out there..."

Ralph slapped his face unable to believe how badly the timing was. He wondered if maybe he was destined to have bad luck and bring grief on everyone he cared about. He sighed roughly.

" Ok Get Dani out of here move everyone away to a safer spot and let me handle Turbo."

Somehow he wasn't surprised at Dani's response. " No I stay with you and Vanellope needs to get her friends out. I can distract Turbo while you knock him out. If we can knock him out for a while..."

Before Ralph could argue a clawed hand suddenly burst through the wall and grasped him.

" Gotcha!" Turbo called out gleefully pulling Ralph free.

Dani grabbed Vanellope before she could vanish to help Ralph. " Get out and get the others away from here! Get them ready to fight if you have to! Go now!"

Before Vanellope could argue Dani rushed out of the opening Turbo had left behind not sure what she was going to be able to do.

Vanellope stood there for a moment indecisiveness then glitched away.

Dani stepped out and then dunked as Ralph hit the wall behind her before slowly sliding down to the ground with a groan. She turned to Turbo who stood admiring his handy work for a moment. She glanced back at Ralph.

" Oh no!" Dani whispered staring at Ralph he was glitching slightly something she was sure was a bad sign. Fear and fury suddenly seemed to roar through her veins. She turned to glare at Turbo. The electricity that she had felt earlier acted like adrenaline suddenly seeming to take on a mind of it's own.

" Now you..." Turbo said reach for her. He paused as she stepped towards him frowning a little bit at the odd blue glow that was crackling off her. He dismissed it and and brought his hand down intending to smoosh her. Dani darted forward and grabbed one of his legs. The glowing pattern on her arm suddenly brightened and let loose a surge of electricity.

It felt powerful and horrible at the same time. Turbo was suddenly wrapped up in an electrical storm. He screamed as his pixels were blown apart.

Dani was screaming too. It felt like her heart was being torn from her chest. It felt like the world's worst static electricity shock. She could feel an odd feeling like someone was adding weight to her body which seemed to conduct even more of a deadly charge from her.

She felt like she was dying.

And she couldn't stop.

******************************real life**************************************

The nurse at the nurse's station popped open a soda and then opened a chart preparing to start noting vitals and medications given to her patients. Suddenly the sounds every nurse dreaded to hear happened. A steady beeping suddenly flat lined into a long ominous drone.

She hurriedly glanced up and saw that her coma patient Mrs. Mcdeal was coding. She flipped a switch and called out over head.

" Code Blue to ICU stat! Code Blue to ICU Stat!"

She leaped up grabbed the small crash cart and hurried into the room. She paused for a moment. Her patient was jerking as if she were having a seizure. A quick check showed that she had no pulse and just as she stopped seizing she also stopped breathing.

The door burst open and the crash team rushed in.


	32. Chapter 32

********real life***************

The doctor on charge quickly checked her pulse.

" No pulse, get ready to apply paddles."

They jerked her gown down exposing her chest and quickly slapped on sticky pads that the paddles would be pressed on to avoid giving her a burn. Oxygen was placed over her nose and mouth and a tube of adrenaline was placed in her IV port if needed.

" Charging...charging..."

***********************game world******************************************

Ralph stood up and shook his head. For a moment he felt dizzy. He stood still and took stock. His aches and pains were already fading as his programming kicked in to regenerate what it was able to. Luckily he hadn't died so a trip home would see him good as new.

He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them to look around. Turbo was no where to be seen. He spotted a figure crumpled on the floor.

" Oh no! " He exclaimed softly hurrying over to her.

" Dani? Dani wake up!" He patted her cheeks gently. Then shook her. " Dani? wha..."

She suddenly disappeared and then reappeared falling through his arms back to the floor.

" Wha the?..." Ralph stared down at her helplessly not sure what to do.

********************real life*******************************************

" Clear!" The first powerful jolt of electricity lifted Dani straight up from the hospital bed before she fell limply back onto the sweat soaked sheets.

" No pulse. Charge up to 270...charging charging..."

" Clear!"

**********************game life***************************************

Ralph had just reached out to try to wake her when she did it again...she simply vanished and reappeared.

" Holy cow! What's happening?!" Vanellope appeared by his side while they both watched Dani seemed to simply disappear and reappear.

****************real life*********************************************

" Clear! "

" No pulse, push adrenaline and charge to 320...charging..."

Malloy stood at the hospital door helplessly. He squeezed his clipboard so tight he accidentally broke it but he was so distraught watching what was happening to his patient he didn't even notice the jagged end slicing into his hand.

"Clear!"

************************game life*********************************************

" Ralph! What do we do?!"

Vannellope watched the her friend disappear and reappear again but this time it was apparent she was fading like a ghost.

He leaned forward suddenly kissed her.

" Hey you think she's snow white or something?!" Vanellope snapped.

Ralph didn't respond he kept his lips pressed against hers and both of his large hands touched her head keeping her anchored to something. It seemed to work. He could feel her form trying to vanish but it wasn't able to with him holding on. Though she still appeared weak and somewhat dim she stayed attached to him.

**************real life******************************************************

" I have a pulse! I have a pulse! Get me an EKG!"

Malloy leaned against the door in relief. He felt slightly weak in the knees. She had almost died. He shakily ran his hand through his thick brown hair. Maybe he thought, maybe it was time to let Dr. Sane try. He still wasn't sure he liked the idea of shock therapy, but maybe that was what she needed. The team began to reassemble to the crash cart.

Dani moved around on the bed groaning and Malloy hurried over to her hoping she was regaining conscious. Her eyes were a bit more responsive but as for her waking up she didn't. Still the motions she made and she seemed to squeeze his hand a little bit when he asked her to. He hoped was a good sign.

" Mrs. Mcdeal...please wake up sweetheart." Malloy patted her hand and waited. She was weaker now thanks to whatever had caused her heart to stop and he was worried it could happen again if he didn't get her awake and soon.

*********************game life***************************************************

" She feels like she weighs a ton! Why does she feel that why? " Ralph grunted picking her up.

" Dani...wake up!" Vannellope called anxiely, She looked around " Where did Turbo go? "

" He exploded. " Ralph muttered jostling Dani trying to get her to open her eyes.

" What?" Vanellope paused confused " He did what? "

" Exploded" Ralph said again walking through the hidden doorway back out onto the hidden track outside sugar mountain. " Wish you had seen it...Dani? Dani wake up? "

Dan groaned and her eyes fluttered open.

" Electricity..." She mumbled.

" Say what?" Ralph asked carefully settling her into the back of the go cart Sour Bill drove.

" I used electricity...I can't...I don't...I need more." Her eyes fluttered and she suddenly seemed to dim again.

" Ralph do something!" Vanellope said jumping and glitching around the car.

Ralph scratched his head " Electricity I don't...wait! Sour Bill get us over to ' Flights of Fancy!" Malcolm had all kinds of electrical machines. "

He climbed in carefully shifting Dani onto his lap.

Sour Bill glanced at Vanellope who made a shooing motion. " Don't just stand there Bill get them over to ' Flights of whatever...you'll come back right Ralph? "

" We both will." Ralph promised her.

Sour Bill made good time to Malcolm's game but he parked at the entrance refusing to go in with them. He didn't like going into other games knowing he might be eaten.

Ralph simply carried Dani to the train that would take them to Malcolm's game. To his relief he saw the balloon with it's small fancy boat attached. He hurried through the brush past gorgeous flowers that were part nature part machines.

He didn't bother to knock. He simply kicked the door open. There was commotion and a brief scuffle as Malcolm leaped off a plush couch adjusting his clothes.

" Here now! What the hell is this?!"

The dance dance revolution dancer also jumped up hastily pulling the straps of her shirt up.

" Malcolm I need help!" Ralph said ignoring the dancer who was blushing and trying to sneak off the boat.

" What! You want me to help you? Don't make me laugh! Get off my boat you lug! " Malcolm said angrily.

Ralph glared at him " You know for someone whose posed to get in a lot of trouble with other games you sure are stubborn."

Malcolm scoffed " I don't have to help anybody...what happened to her? " He spotted Dani limp and unresponsive in Ralph's large arms.

" She just killed a virus and saved everyone's game including yours!"

Malcolm gave Ralph a look.

" I'm not lying damnit she really did but she cant regenerate without electricity."

" And if I uh refuse to help the fair maiden? " Malcolm crossed his arms over his broad chest where his shirt hung open and he tossed his black locks out of his way.

Ralph knew the minute he lost control all would be lost. He'd destroy the whole ship and help Dani not at all.

" If you don't help her I'll make sure that everyone in ' Sugar Rush, Fix Felix, Pacman and Hero's duty plus all the bad guys I go to bad anon with make sure that all your girlfriends find out about each other. You'll never get any piece. Period. I'll see to it."

Malcolm clenched his jaw then blew his breath out angrily.

" Alright, alright! What exactly is it you want me to do? "

A few moments later Dani was laid out on a table in a room that ironically looked like Frankenstein's lab. Electrodes had been attached to her forehead, inner arms and her ankles. Ralph glanced around uneasily.

" Are you sure this will work? " he asked rubbing his hands together.

" No, I'm not sure it will work...I think is a stupid idea and she's probably going to die but this is what you wanted so the blames on you. No matter what happens you promise to leave me be."

Baltor the little dragon chirped on the perch he was sitting on.

Ralph took a deep breath and nodded.

Malcolm took a handle and began to crank it hard. Bolts of energy cracked and snapped from wire to wire above the table Dani lay on. After he got the lines glowing with energy he walked over to a lever and threw the switch. The blue flash raced down the wires and down to the electrodes attached to Dani.

There seemed to be an explosion and loud sound like a crack of thunder. Static electricity caused Ralph's hair to stand on end more then usual.

The energy dimmed and he looked anxiously at Dani. She was perfectly stable and solid now. For a heart stopping moment she didn't move and even Malcolm looked concerned. Then she coughed. She lifted a hand up and pressed it against her forehead groaning.

' Oh sweet mother Hubbard she's alright!" Ralph sighed in relief. He hurried over to her to pull the electrodes off and help her sit up.

" Gee Ralph that was loads of fun let's not do that again ok? " Dani whispered leaning against him.

Ralph chuckled and hugged her carefully. " You bet. If I can help it no more virus's."  
Dani nodded. She got off the table on wobbly legs and glanced around. She spotted the captain of the ship and gave him a half hearted wave.

" Hi Malcolm."

Malcolm made a face " Yes yes hello hello now it's time to go if you both please? " he motioned to the door.

Ralph nodded leading Dani away. " Yea man I owe you one..."

" Oh please don't say that! Just go! " Malcolm moaned.

Once they made it back to game central Dani sat on the bench to try to collect herself.

" Ralph? I have a feeling...I don't have much time left." Dani looked around at all the games she hadn't had a chance to visit.

"Ralph frowned " Easy now you fought off a virus! I mean it was amazing but it took a lot out of you! You should go back to the my place and rest."

Dani nodded " Yea I'll do that Ralph but I mean it...I feel like one way or another I'm running out of time...I don't want to think I'm alive out there in a coma and i might die at any time...but I don't want to be looking at you and just vanish either...but I may not be able to control that."

Ralph sat beside her. To his surprise she reached out took on of his large hands and held it in her lap.

" If only I could be in two places as a whole instead of half in and half out..."

Ralph brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. " Come on the arcade's about to open. We can talk about this after closing time."

Dani nodded tiredly. She felt so strange in such a way she couldn't think how to describe it but maybe Ralph was right...maybe she just needed to sleep some.

***************real life *******************************************

" Ok," Malloy said sighing " I'll let you schedule her for shock treatment Dr. Shane."

Shane slapped him on the shoulder " I think we'll have good results Dr. Malloy but I'm equally sure we won't make it worse."

Malloy looked at Dani laying silent and still in her bed.

" Lord I hope not."


	33. Chapter 33

******************game life*****************************************

Ralph smoothed Dani's hair down away from her face. She was snuggled in his bed sleeping. He wasn't sure why she was sleeping . No one else needed sleep unless they wanted to or were programmed to do so, but it reinforced the fact she didn't belong here.

He blew out a breath and stood up looking down at her thoughtfully.

She was asleep in her world...a coma she called it. As long as she wasn't fighting that coma here she was stuck here.

He roughly rubbed his face. He couldn't imagine only being half of yourself which was what she basically was. He thought too much electricity on her physical body out there would pull her away from him while too much electricity here would pull the life from her physical body there.

She was only staying because of him.

He froze and looked at the floor face screwed up into a puzzled expression. She was fighting to stay here...why? For him? What did she hope to gain by staying here with him? Spending days watching him smashing a brick building over and over and nights spent in his boring shack or racing with Vanellope?

No there had to be more in her world for her then there was for her here. He was just going to have to convince her of that.

She needed to go home.

And he needed...well he didn't want to think about that. Wishing was futile and didn't change the situation.

" Brother where are you? Game time!"

Ralph jerked slightly at Felix's call and turned to leave his home.

"Yeah I'm coming man!"

He glanced one last time at Dani before he hurried out to the game were he began to smash and crush the building.

***************Real life ***************************************

Dr. Shane sipped his coffee while Malloy looked over Dani's file.

" I'd like to do a light therapy tomorrow Dr. after I get an electrocardiogram and blood test results...I want to make sure her heart is healthy enough for this... other wise...well I don't want to make anything worse."

" I appreciate that." Malloy murmured. " What do you think caused her heart to stop? I mean she has no history of heart problems...I'm really concerned we won't be able to pin down that problem before we do this."

Dr. Shane shrugged and tossed his empty cup into the waste basket. He missed and grumbled as he leaned down and picked it up throwing it away.

" Well we may never know but I'm sure of this much the longer she stays in this coma the worse off her body will be.

Dr. Malloy nodded and bid him good afternoon before going back to look at Dani. He reached out and squeezed her hand carefully.

" Ok Mrs. Mcdeal...I'm keeping my fingers crossed you wake up tomorrow. You definitely don't need that much beauty sleep."

Her fingers twitched and he looked up expectantly but that was all he got. That one small movement that felt more reflex than anything.

He sent up a quick prayer that he could get her awake before she was sent to a nursing home where all hope was lost.

He pulled out a book he had gotten for her and settled down in a chair next to her bed and began to read to her.

Her lips seemed to curl up peacefully but with his head down in the book he didn't see it.

****************game life **********************************

Dani woke up with a groan and rubbed her head. She had a massive headache and she hurt every where. She started suddenly remembering Turbo the virus. She remembered what he had said about replicating himself. She also remembered how the electricity of her life force had blown him away and nearly did her in as well.

A human couldn't live without electrical impulses. It made her think of her body, in a coma, helpless without enough of her own electricity to wake up.

She swung her legs over and rested her elbows against her knees. She lowered her head to her hands groaning softly as a bolt of pain went from temple to temple. She didn't belong here. Yet when she thought about leaving her heart twisted in grief. She had made more friends and felt more alive and attuned with everyone here then she did in her lonely boring life.

If she was honest that wasn't all. Ralph's eyes came to mind. Brown but with gold flecks in them, warm sparkling with good humor or blazing when he was blowing a temper tantrum. How it had felt to kiss him. How it had felt to smack her head against the wall.

She chuckled did fun stupid things like that even happen in real life?

She tried to think her mind going back to Turbo. He had replicated himself once...that meant he could again...in fact he probably replicated himself more than once and could be anywhere in any game. She frowned. Glancing around Ralph's modest shack.

She had stopped him once she could stop him again couldn't she? But how did one person fight a virus when they could be many?

Dani got up and began to pace. Thinking even though it hurt her head worse.

Virus's...what was it? A string of code that replicated itself over and over and over taking it's power from whatever game it infected. Using that power to eat up a games code and destroying whatever game it was in.

Dani paused suddenly cocking her head. For a long moment she just stood there her face studious and blank. Suddenly she broke out into a run heading to the code vault in Fix it Felix Jr.

She knew she had to speak to the Surge protector when she got done. She had a plan.


	34. Chapter 34

All day Ralph was a little off. His game was off because of it and it was a miracle they didn't get an out of order sign. Q bert and the bonus level guys helped cover for him when slipped up but all in all the game was not good.

Finally the arcade closed and Ralph was able to hurry to his shack and to find out how Dani was doing. To his shock and anger she was gone.

" I don't believe this!" He fumed.

Felix heaved a sigh and shook his head. " I cant believe Turbo's back."

Ralph frowned at him " Actually I don't think he ever left. He must have replicated a Cybug egg...he could have done a thousand for all we know."

" Oh my lands that doesn't sound good." Felix took his hat off and wrung it briefly in his hands. " I better go tell Calhoun. Maybe the Hero's Duties games could spread out and try to look for them."

Ralph nodded. " I'm gonna check on Vanellope and then we're gonna go find Dani."

Felix frowned " But Ralph Vanellope can't leave her game can she? "

Ralph glanced around making sure they couldn't be heard " Actually Dani redid some of her code so she could."

With a sigh Felix put his hat on. He shook his head but didn't say anything more about the legality of such a thing.

They both boarded a train and headed to game central.

At game central they were met by both Vanellope who was gawking around having never been able to leave her game before and Calhoun who wore a face like thunder when she heard about Turbo.

" Bastard. Why didn't I think of that? It's what virus's do they replicate. What's this I hear about that gamer destroying him? "

Ralph and Vanellope tried their best to describe what they saw. Calhoun looked skeptical at first than thoughtful.

" Well in a roundabout way that makes her a beacon." Calhoun said thoughtfully. " That's very helpful if we're dealing with renegade Cybugs. Where is she? "

Ralph shook his head." I don't know she was gone when the arcade closed. She could have been gone all day, I didn't get a chance to check."

They looked around at all the games plugged into this central station. There were actually several central stations throughout the arcade since the owner could only plug in so many games into one electrical outlet. Getting from one to the other was difficult but not impossible. Ralph felt a welling of dismay there was at least a hundred to hundred and fifty games in the arcade. Looking for Dani would be like looking for a needle in a hay stack. Worse yet Ralph wondered glumly if she had gone home.

" Ralph! "

" Dani!" Ralph caught her up in his arms and kissed her he was so happy to see her. He hugged her tightly until she complained.

" Ralph?! Sweet heart?! I can't breath!"

" Oh! Oh sorry." He set her down quickly than leveled a glare at her. " Where have you been? You had me scared to death! Can't you just leave me a note or wait till I get off work before you take off?!"

" Sorry had to speak to the surge protector."

Ralph scoffed. He had never liked the surge protectors since they always targeted him.

" Why? "

Dani looked excited " Surge protectors are directly in touch with the electricity of the outlets that the game central is plugged into. They always have electricity and during blackouts their safe until the electricity comes back on because of the surge protector device in each game central!"

" So?" Vanellope asked placing her hands on her hips and looking cute even though she was trying to look serious.

" Sooooo...if I have to do...well whatever it is I did to Turbo I won't unbalance whatever electricity is making me be here. He helped me plug in like all the surge protectors do! "

She waited.

They stared at her blankly.

She waited holding her hands out slightly.

They still stared at her, She sighed and rubbed her head.

" I can draw how ever much electricity I need so I won't snuff myself out next time I have to fight a virus! "

Ralph frowned " Well that's good I guess but...I'm not so sure you should be fighting virus's anyway."

Vanellope broke in " Are you kidding! Turbo like exploded into a hundred million pieces! That's what you said anyway...wow I wish I could have seen that!"

" So your a surge protector now? " Calhoun said placing her hands on her hips and giving Dani a crooked smile " Well congratulations on wearing the badge I think you'll be a lot better at policing then most of the other surge protectors."

" So that's all you've been doing? Talking to surge protectors? " Ralph asked.

Dani met his eyes and slowly nodded. " Yup, That's it. That's all. Sure did."

" Rigghhht." Ralph said leaning down slightly to look into her eyes " I'll bet you didn't go looking for Viruses all by yourself while you were at it did you? "

" Who wants to go to Tappers? " Dani said quickly. " My treat! "

Calhoun scoffed " Like you have credit at Tappers...I'll treat and while we drink we need to decide how to handle this Turbo issue."

Ralph sighed realizing he was outnumbered. She was hiding something from him. He could tell. He could even feel it in the way she looked at him. The question was did she hide something from him because she didn't want to hurt him or was she hiding something from him that would hurt her?

He caught her hand as they headed to Tappers. She looked surprised for a moment and then clenched her fingers around his own. In a low voice, too soft for Ralph to hear she whispered;

" It's going to be alright now."

************Real Life***********************************************

Malloy glanced over the cardiology report.

Shane stood next to him waiting. " Well what's the deal? "

Malloy closed the folder and opened another one " The echocardiogram looks great. No abnormalities no Tachycardia, strong steady beat and uhhh," he flipped a page " labs look good no elevated white blood cells no infections detected...she's in perfect health...she just won't..or can't wake up."

Shane nodded " Tomorrow I'll apply some of the shock therapy to her regime and we'll see if we can't get her awake."

Malloy shook his head " I'm really not happy about sending her through that."

Shane placed his hand on Malloy's shoulder " You're thinking about patients who have to go through electroshock therapy for mental disorders. It does work in many cases but it's not the same for her. I'm not going to use near the amount of electricity I would use on someone who needs a high level of voltage. In fact I'm going to give her the lowest level we have because all I want to do is cause some kind of changes in her brain waves. I'm hoping any change will wake her up. If that doesn't work I might apply slightly higher voltage but still no where near the amount that's used on people with severe depression. If it doesn't work, well we can move on to stronger medicines but then we'll have to deal with side effects."

Shane took the clipboard from Malloy's hand and made the big man meet his eyes. " The point is to wake her up with no health problems if that's possible. If everything we try fails...well at least we can say we tried and she's in such good health she may wake up in her own once she's moved to a rehabilitation center."

Malloy shook his head. " I don't want to move her to one of those places, some are good but there's more then a few with neglect charges against them and what about rape? It almost happened here it could happen there easier."

Shane sighed " Malloy...look I know you've become attached to this patient...but you need to remember she is just a patient. You need to be her doctor, not her friend. She needs a doctor. Tough decisions have to be made but we'll worry about that after we try everything we can. Now excuse me I have some other patients to see."

Malloy nodded. He placed a large hand on the rail of Dani's bed and looked into her peaceful face. He reached down and took one small hand in his and gently patted it.

" You're more then just a patient Mrs. Mcdeal. I hope to heaven I'm doing the right thing but more then that...I really really want you to look at me and say my name. Even if it is patient to doctor,"

He let go of her and and adjusted her blanket over her.

" Tomorrow we'll try a very small jolt of electroshock therapy, it won't hurt we'll sedate you, but hopefully a small amount of electricity will bring you back to us."

Malloy turned and walked out of the room thinking of all the pros and cons of what they were going to do. Electricity...the heart needed it to beat, the lungs needed it to breathe and the brain needed it to think. He adjusted his coat rolling his large shoulders. If electricity took her away thanks to the lightening shock...perhaps electricity would bring her back.

He was already gone when Dani whispered unconsciously " It'll be alright now."


	35. Chapter 35

************Game Life**************

Calhoun came straight to ' Sugar Rush ' with Felix, Ralph, and Dani. Sure enough she found several eggs in hibernation and destroyed them. After they had crawled all over the sticky gooey sweet game Dani did a check on the codes for any viruses trying to replicate. It was a slow job and boring but important.

Calhoun decided that the chances that the virus had jumped to a different game central when it had so many games so close was small. So they began a systematic search game by game checking Fix it Felix next. The odd hand held finder Calhoun had made short work of checking for eggs. Longer it took Dani to check the codes.

Finally Calhoun impatiently had Felix follow her for eggs leaving Ralph and Dani alone to check codes behind them. To help in the search she pulled up some of soldiers and 'Sugar Rush Racers'.

Exhausted Dani climbed out of the code for Fix it Felix and gave Ralph a thumbs up. "All clear" she said. She felt on edge and nervous. Ralph walked with her over to Pac Man. The ghosts and Pac man helped them search the game. It was so simply coded a virus would have shown up right away so Dani only had to do a quick spot check of it's codes.

They made a decision to game jump to the simpler games first and save the harder ones for last. They crossed paths with Felix and Calhoun and were dismayed to hear that a dozen eggs had been found and destroyed.

" Damn." Ralph sat down on a game central bench. " How do we beat this? There's no telling how many eggs there are or where there at."

Calhoun holstered her gun. " We'd better get moving we can't just sit around and hope he goes away. There's no telling when he planned to activate these eggs or why he's waited so long."

Dani shook her head. " Look...a virus can be stopped at it's source...were would he have that source? Where did he first go after his game Turbo Time?"

A racing game called 'Road Blaster' that got unplugged with his." Felix replied.

Dani sighed " Well he has to have a source he didn't walk into Sugar Rush just knowing how to reprogram code HOLY MOTHER MARY OF GOD IS THAT I THINK IT IS?!"

Startled at her cry every one turned to ' Flights of Fancy ; where Malcolm was holding court with several female game characters. He was proudly holding up a cybug egg and started petting it turning this way and that so everyone could admire it's green glow. It broke open causing an odd thing with a weird shaped head and many legs to fall out.

Startled Malcom dropped it. It scurried into his game.

" No no kill it kill it!" Vanellope screamed. Calhoun out paced all of them and she barreled past Malcolm and into his game without so much as a glance.

Dani stopped at the entrance while everyone else rushed in to stand in front of a slack jawed Malcom.

" Where did you find it? Where was it? " She slapped Malcom hard when he continued to stare shocked into his game were there was a ruckus raised.

Malcom shook his head and glared at her. " It was in a rain forest part of my game. I thought Belthar had laid some eggs and that I would be getting a new batch of dragons."

" When did you find it? " Dani asked trying to think of the best way she could use her programming skills.

Malcom shrugged " I noticed a commotion the day the lightening strike hit. All my gadgets reset on me. I had EMP for days after wards."

" EMP? Electromagnetic impulses? Oh my gosh...the lightning woke up Turbo the EMP stimulated the eggs to open. Oh no this is horrible! No wait! I can use this! " She turned to run when Malcolm grabbed her.

" Hey! Put me down! "

" You don't really think I'm going to let you destroy my game do you? "

" You dumbass! Those eggs are virus's they'll destroy every game here!"

" So you say. But I do not trust you so..." He held up a hand. On his forearm where a gadget that seemed to have twenty buttons on it. It reconfigured until two prongs were pointing at her. A snap of electricity arched between them. " With so many in my game I really think they can do with out you...say good night!"

He zapped her fully expecting her to be knocked out. Instead she disappeared briefly and reappeared. While he stared at her shocked she suddenly took up a fighting stance threw her hand out his way focusing on that weird electric static feeling in her arm that still glowed with the path the lightning took. A pulse shot out and hit Malcolm. Unlike her he fell over in a slump out like a light,

*****Real Life ***

While they were setting up the machine and rechecking the EEG and EKG for any Issues Dani suddenly gasped and arched up before flopping back onto the mattress. It looked for all the world like some bizarre hop. Everyone including Malloy stared at her for a moment.

" Did you see that?" The RN asked puzzled.

" Yeah...maybe we should hold off on this..." Malloy caught Dr. Shane looking at him and sighed. " Then again maybe she's trying to wake up this might help her. Still I think we should hold off one more day and do another MRI and CAT Scan. Dr. Shane shrugged and nodded,

" Well it won't hurt I suppose."

*******game Life ****

When Dani caught up with them she saw they were looking around dismayed. Flight's of Fancy was a large grid game for people who liked to play point and find games which included puzzles. The graphics were beautiful but the terrain was huge. Calhoun was looking around holding up her tracker. Dani had a brief urge to look around for a face hugging hand shaped thing to launch at her. She shook her head.

Come on come on you were supposed to be so smart so gifted there's got to be something you can do to stop these viruses...something. She looked up suddenly.

" EMP's!"

Everyone turned to look at her.

"If I can generate enough electricity to send out an electromagnetic pulse to every game in this game central the viruses will fry because their a much simpler code then the game codes."

Ralph looked doubtful " Isn't that dangerous?"

" What if you fry everyone's game?" Vanellope asked.

" Can you even do that? " Calhoun asked skeptically.

" Yes it's very dangerous.

if I get the surge protectors involved they'll make sure the games don't get enough EMP to get fried.

And how the hell should I know? I replace tickets in video games and recover people's face book passwords but it's an idea isn't it? "

The friends glanced at each other.

" I'm going to look for eggs. I suggest you talk to the surge protectors." Calhoun said sharply. Felix gave Dani a kind of hang dog look before hopping after his wife.

Dani turned and hurried back to the game entrance. She almost tripped over Malcom who she had forgotten. Ralph rolled his eyes when he saw Malcom sprawled out on the floor drooling.

" I can't let you out of my sight can I sweet heart? " He muttered.

" Yea isn't she cool!" Vanellope said skipping along side of him.

Ralph was surprised the surge protector didn't want to help. In fact it was apparent that he was willing to risk a virus more then he was a pulselarge enough to go through all the games.

" Please! You and the other surge protectors can regulate the energy so it's not strong enough to do anything but maybe reset the games if that but it'll kill every virus that Turbo's produced!"

" Risky. Too risky." The Protector muttered.

" Yes that's why it has to be you and the other protectors regulating the EMP. You're the only ones that can make it safe!"

" Look man this place is going to be crawling with viruses if we don't do something!" Ralph said running his hand roughly over his face.

The protector glanced around indecisive. " Exactly what do you want me to do? "

" Get everyone in their games, let me use the main plug to draw power and regulate the EMP's power so it's deadly to virus's but won't hurt the other game characters"

Again the surge protector glanced around. He started to shake his head when something large burst through the wall out of a game called 'Space Racer'.

The turbo virus cackled to himself while game characters ran around panicked and screaming.

Turbo picked up a character from Hero's Duty.

" Excuse me do you know what time it is?" Turbo asked the frantically fighting soldier. The soldier checked his helmet screen.

Uhhh 12 noon sir!

"Actually its' Turbo time!" With an evil laugh he threw the solider against the wall.

" Lame." Dani said to the surge protector throwing her hand out to indicate the large creature," This is what you have to look forward to no games and a bunch of virus's who crack lame puns.

" Ok ok here's my generator it takes the electricity straight from the main plug!" The nervous surge protector handed her a belt with a small black box on it.

"Vanellope start glitching people to their games and whatever you do don't get caught!" Dani said putting the belt on.

"Ralph get back to ' Fix Felix."

" No."

Dani almost groaned at the look on his face. She'd see it a million times... male Arrogance.

"You'll only be in my way the more we argue the more games are being hurt!"

" I'm not leaving you Dani, I can't. Please trust me!" Ralph begged.

Dani shook her head " I have to do this alone Ralph."

Ralph slowly looked around. It was a war zone. Any games that had weapons were trying to destroy the Turbo virus. Many others were cowering at the destruction. Almost seeing it in slow motion inside his head he saw Turbo laughing with evil intent and glee at the duplicates of himself destroying everything they could. The main Turbo turned and saw Dani. His face slowly light up with an unholy smile and he reshaped his claw like hands into spikes.

"I'm staying." Ralph said balling his fists up ready to fight.


	36. Chapter 36

***** real life ********

A mouth piece was placed in Mrs. Mcdeal's mouth to prevent her from biting her tongue. Malloy sighed and glanced around. He should have been seeing other patients but he had gotten permission to be here for the electroshock therapy. A healthy blood panel and MRI had convinced him to go ahead with the procedure.

Still he wished there was something else to try even if they were only using low voltage. He supposed he was just worried that she would feel pain. He had been assured however that sedated she would feel nothing. The nurse hooked her up to the EEG and then nodded.

" Ok Dr. Shane we appear to be ready." Malloy said stepping back.

******game life*******

Dani took a deep breath. Virtual sweat was pouring down her face. She was horribly aware that whatever EMP she managed was not going to be strong enough to clear the grid and were the game characters safe? Were they really? She didn't know. Everything she was doing was in theory with no way and no time to test it. She tried to tell herself that if she fried all the games she would at least beat the virus from doing the same thing.

She just wouldn't enjoy it as much.

Her arm went from tingling to burning to suddenly hot. The heat made her grit her teeth and squint her eyes against the blue glow. Her whole arm appeared engulfed in blue flames. She was suddenly sure that it still wasn't enough no matter how cool the effect may be. She slapped her hand down on the ground releasing the energy. The blast caused everyone to fall over as if the floor had become liquid and given a toss to knock a bunch of boaters over. However most of the virus's flew close to the ceiling away from her and easily avoided the shock.

She looked around feeling defeated. Game characters, some of them badly damaged by the virus attack, were carefully getting up. Scared white faces peered around. Almost in slow motion she saw Ralph pick up a motionless Vanellope. He looked at her with anguish in his eyes. Dani cursed and turned to the Surge protector.

" Take me to the outlet!"

The surge protector shook his head " You'll kill us all if you shut down the power for to long. Not all the games will reset!"

Dani suddenly grabbed him in her right hand and picked him up able to handle energy with energy. " Take me now! "

The protector huffed then grabbed her hand and whisked her across the game central to the main plug. Dani hurried towards it trying to gather up the electricity she had available. She knew what she was crazy but she had to try.

*******Real Life*****

" Turn the amp up to 100 please let's do this slow and easy." Dr. Shane took the prongs with the conductors on the end and placed one on each side of Dani's temple.

" Ok clear everyone ready please this will only take a moment. Charging."

****Game Life***

Dani knew she was about to do something stupid beyond belief but she had to. She took her right hand which was again glowing brighter and brighter and she aimed it at the outlet.

" Dani look out!" Ralph yelled frantically.

Something hit Dani and she glanced down frowning. It had felt like someone had sucker punched her in the chest.

" Gotcha!" Turbo said softly. He gave her an almost tender look turning his bladed claw slowly around to cause pain.

To Dani's shock she saw a bladed claw coming out of her chest. He had stabbed her from behind. Crackles and lightning began to leap out and about with no control. With her last moment she stabbed at the outlet allowing all the electricity to flow through her like a beacon carefully channeled by all the surge protectors who had been waiting tensely for this moment.

**** Real LIfe ****

" Zap her."

Dani twitched and her brain waves spiked up for a moment or so before settling back down.

Malloy frowned at the what her brain waves went flat. They hadn't done that before,

" Do it again!" Malloy said quickly.

Right turning up to 200...charging,,,,everyone clear..."

*******Game life *****

Ralph got just a glimpse of Dani. Her whole body seemed to glow a white hot blaze that pulled the viruses to her. A pulse came from her and flew through the game central and all the games plugged in. The force knocked over the game characters again and blew like a strong static shock wind hitting everything every where.

" Dani!" Ralph found himself trying to crawl amidst the confusion. She hadn't been skeward surely she hadn't really been skeward the way it looked like it had.

The power flickered as the viruses began shrieking at the blazing light near the outlet. Flying helplessly towards it.

***** Real Life *****

"..and on my mark ...mark." The stronger jolt sent her brain waves into a frantic spiky frenzy and she frowned lifting a hand up briefly as if to rub her head.

*****Game Life*****

The light flickered dangerously.

" Don't shut off the power! " One of the protectors cried in alarm.

Dani looked down at herself the virus was gone but her body was damaged and she could feel a pull like she never had before. She was painfully pulled away from the outlet. She staggered few steps and fell to her knees. Instead of becoming more solid and less energy she continued to glow brighter and brighter.

" Dani!"

Ralph tried to grab her hand but his hand simply went through her. He had to squint his eyes to look at her. He suddenly knew without being told this was the pure energy she had lost when the lightning had struck her.

" Oh Dani, don't leave me." He said brokenly.

Dani tried to touch his face. Her voice was faint and she was dissolving into beautiful sparkles.

" I won't. I told you it'll be alright now. Don't forget me and go play quarter."

He felt the lightest of touches on his lips and realized she had kissed him.

He didn't care about appearing manly, he didn't care that he was 9 feet tall, and people had always been afraid of him giving him a certain

reputation.

Ralph put his face in his large hands and wept bitter tears.

*****Real life *********

" HOLY GOD GET IT OUT OF ME!"

Everyone including Dr Shane jumped in fright and stood mouths open as the woman who had been sedated and had taken two minor shocks to the brain was suddenly able to leap out of her coma, sit up in bed and scream.

She looked sorry too. She glanced around sheepishly " I'm sorry. I was having a nightmare. "

Malloy regained his composure first.

Mrs. Mcdeal welcome back! We need to run some test on you but I think you're out of the water! I'm..."

" Ralph?" Dani stared at the doctor in front of her, He was built but obviously not a gym guy, His face was soft with gently rounded cheeks and cute pert nose but it was his eyes she kept being drawn to. They were kind and a warm brown with flecks of gold in them, Laugh lines ringed his mouth and eyes, He brushed his dark brown hair away from his head and it simply sprang back into place. He took her hand in one large one and patted it.

" I'm Dr. Malloy, Well Ralph Malloy but I've been presiding over your case.

Dani began to cry leaning her head into Mallloys broad chest.

" There there...it's not so bad you're out of the woods and your alive!"

Dani continued to cry.


	37. Chapter 37

****Game Life****

Ralph went through the day on auto pilot. His coworkers tried hard to cheer him up some without obviously messing up the game but nothing helped. His downcast gaze didn't even meet Vanellope as she was shown as the winner on the roster. When she was able, she gave gave him concerned glances.

Truthfully she felt a bit guilty. She HAD pushed Ralph into getting involved with Dani but dang it what was she supposed to do? He needed someone and Dani had been perfect it had just never dawned on Vanellope she would disappear. Since she was brooding she wound up accidentally driving into a cupcake and finishing dead last in the race. It wasn't often she was last but it did happen after all for her to use her powers to win every race was the wrong thing to do.

She hoped she could think up something before the arcade closed to try to help Ralph. She hated the hang dog look on his face. She loved him and his heart ache made her own heart hurt. Another quarter was put in and she was about to start another race.

Felix was also unsure of what to do or how to help his friend. He tried to think of how he would feel if his wife suddenly left him. He realized just the thought shattered him and any desire to go on in the game life. In fact such a thing might make him go turbo and kill himself outside his game. This thought worried him more and he tried to think of what to say or do to try to help Ralph get through this.

**********Real Life **********

Dr. Ralph Malloy found himself outside Dani Mcdeal's room for about the hundredth time meaning to ask if he could have dinner with her. She was going to be discharged in a week if she showed no signs of going back into her coma. Despite what she had been through she was healthy and calm although there was something pensive in her gaze when she looked at him that he couldn't place. He didn't know if she liked him, didn't care for him or just thought he was damn nuisance.

A nurse paused next to him raising her brows. He realized that she had the dinner tray. He told himself to take it in and strike up conversation about how she was doing. No strike that, it was doctor patient talk. He should go in and ask if her family and friends would be planning anything to celebrate...no strike that she had one friend and her parents had died while she was young.

He looked at the food. No strike that the food looked awful he wasn't even sure what the hell they were feeding her. He stepped out of the way realizing the nurse was waiting a bit impatiently now. He dunked out of the way when she went in still trying to figure out what to do or say to see if his patient was interested in being more then just his patient.

Dani glanced at the door and sighed. He had chickened out again. She badly wished Ralph..well strike that Dr. Malloy would just come in and ask her out. She knew he wanted to her friend had told her about the talk about fishing, going to see the Phantom of the Opera musical, camping. For such an intelligent man he sounded really laid back and down to earth like her father had been.

Sadly he was a lot more like Ralph in Fix it Felix in the sense he apparently suffered from low self esteem and shyness. She had been trying to think of something to bring him around. That is if she could ever get him in here more then five minutes. She glanced out and saw the sun was going down. Her lips quirked up as she wondered what Ralph in the game Fix it Felix was going to say when he found out about her surprise and what could she say to the big doctor with the kind eyes when he came in to give her the latest updates.

*****Game Life ****

" For the last time I'm fine! I don't want to go to tappers I want to go home!" Ralph threw his hands up and then rubbed his face roughly. Vanellope had practically attached herself to his leg and Felix had one arm while Q-bert had the other. Did they think they could drag him to tappers? It was absurd. To prove it he simply started walking towards his shack dragging his friends behind him. Vanellope tried to glitch and found herself snatched up.

" Look little Mrs. Farthead you're not glitching me any where! Why don't you go get a drink and sneak if over here? We can have a bonfire..." For a moment his eyes kind of swam away remembering who had made the fire pit they all enjoyed so much but he quickly pulled his focus back. "...maybe roast some marshmallows cause I'm FINE and I just want to relax at HOME."

They seemed to realize he meant to stay put because they let go of him and merely followed him to the fire pit. A little work soon saw a lovely fire going. Ralph declined to join any of the discussions. Sometimes he would grunt something or tip his head but mostly he sat pounding down huge amounts of marshmallows.

Finally Felix gave in and left to go out with his wife. The bonus level guys went to their own homes. Vanellope stayed staring in the fire.

" You know stinkbrain..."

" I'm going to bed Vanellope." Ralph got up and put out the fire. Vanellope frowned but couldn't think of anything to say.

" K. See you tomorrow ya big goon."

Ralph waved at her. Once he was inside he leaned briefly on the door. He wasn't tired but at the same time he was. He realized his life was going to turn very dull if he spent his free time sleeping so he didn't have to think. Sadly though it was what he saw in his future for a while. He slipped out of his overalls and his shirt until he just had on his shorts and slipt into bed. He double checked it because occasionally an errant code could send a glitch through a game that was so tiny it wasn't dangerous but they WERE as annoying as bed bugs.

He slipped his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. He found himself day dreaming of what he missed and what could have beens. He believed he and Dani would have gotten married. Vanellope could have been their maid of honor he would have asked Felix to be best man. He would have helped her get over her fear of snow with lots of patience and practice. They could have gone to other games and had fun in some of them. There was so much he had to say that he hadn't realized he wanted to talk to someone about. While he lay there thinking a lump appeared under the blanket growing larger until it was easily as big around as one of his arms.

He grunted annoyed. He knew that feeling...errant code the darn things were such a pain in the...he yelped when he opened his eyes.

" HOLY CRIPES IT'S HUGE!"

He flipped the blanket down expecting a virus they had missed. Instead he saw Dani laying on him her chin resting on her hands, She laughed softly at him.

" It is? Really? Wow can't wait to see it then."

"Dani?" Ralph stared at her suddenly thinking he was loosing his mind and seeing things. He reached out and tapped her a bit harder then he meant to.

She yelped and set up rubbing her head. " Easy Ralph...I don't want to experience a coma in here."

" But how are you?...Are you still alive out there? What the..?"

He grabbed her and gave her a hug sure she would just disappear on him.

Dani hugged him back and he could feel her. She nuzzled his neck and slid her fingers briefly in his hair.

" Are you really here? " He asked. She pushed away from him and met his eyes.

" I'm here for good. I promise."

Ralph frowned " If you gave up your life..."

" I didn't." She gave him a smug look " I told you I'm a hell of a hacker."

" So how did you do this? " Ralph sat up causing her slide down until she was sitting spread leg on his lap. Realizing that wasn't going to be conductive to the conversation he wanted to have he quickly laid back down. It must have looked like a weird and comical sit up and he blushed realizing she was still straddling his lap. She leaned forward and began rubbing his chest.

" You can't destroy energy Ralph. You can only move it or make it stronger. That day you were in your game I snuck over to Malcom's game and duplicated my energy. Then I went to all the unfinished bonus levels I could find and hijacked the unused codes. Then I used my energy to program the codes into me."

Ralph blinked at her " So...your bits and pieces of unused codes? "

She nodded " yup. Not like anyone was going to miss them."

She had started rubbing his stomach now. He was having a hard time concentrating.

" So...are you a game? "

She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. She trailed them onto his cheeks , his forehead nuzzled his ear.

" No I'm going to be working as a high end surge protector. I think the arcade is going to connect to the World Wide Web soon so we're gonna have to be extra vigilant when that happens. Viruses and malware and all that stuff I'll be part of the team that protects the games from that."

She started sliding her shirt off.

" Whose web? " His voice had gotten a little thicker and he cleared his throat.

She leaned froward again brushing her breasts against his chest, It felt like a tingling shock and he found he liked it..alot.

He shifted so he could slide her under him. He was very carefully to check every where to make sure nothing was going to fall on them , he wasn't going to crush her, she wasn't going to fall off, and about a hundred other things that might ruin this moment.

" Um...listen I'm not really all that experienced with this." He slid her hair out of her way so he could nibble on her throat.

She sighed letting her head fall back giving him more room " That's alright...we have lots of time to practice..."

" I'm probably not the most gentle man in the world..." He reached down to slip off her bottoms accidentally ripping them as he did so.

" You're doing fine..." She moaned.

He froze " Are you ok?"

" Don't stop!" She ordered.

He hastily went back to kissing and rubbing his face against her stomach.

Dani found that he had spoken true, he wasn't the most practice guy in the world, but for her he was perfect. He might have believed he wasn't the most gentle man in the world but his voice shook with emotion when he entered her and whispered her name. He had handled her like glass and she had found herself crying slightly at how good it had been to feel so cherished and so loved when she had lost all that.

" Tears? " He looked stricken.

" Of joy...only of Joy...I love you Ralph."

Ralph held her close and didn't release his grip even in their sleep and the dreams of white flurry death suddenly no longer made her cringe in fear in her sleep for she knew she was safe and always would be. Small knowing smiles graced their sleeping faces.

**********Real Life *********

" Your Cat Scan looks great Mrs. Mcdeal." Malloy said nervously clutching her file in front of him as if he thought he might accidentally overwhelm her without something between them. She had to admit he was pretty big but when he gave her that nervous smile and those dimples popped up and those brown eyes shone with good sweet humor.

Well she could just eat him up and in the way that implied.

" Uh do you have any questions for me? " He was already backing up making his escape.

" I talked to my friend and i found out you owe me." Dani said. She looked at her hands fiddling with the blanket in her lap.

" I'm sorry." Malloy paused and gazed at her confused.

Here goes nothing Dani thought. " Yea she said you promised to take me lunar eclipse watching, fishing, out to a comedy club to a musical...I mean I hope you meant that because those are just awesome sounding dates."

" Dates? You mean you..really want to? Go out with me? Like on a date date? "

Dani bit her lip to keep from smiling the poor man looked bowled over.

" I can't wait actually. Unless..." She opted for a slight pout " If you just feel sorry for me don't bother but I'm hoping you find me kind of attractive because I find you attractive and I just thought..."

" You think I'm attractive? " Malloy blurted out. Then he winced. Hadn't she just said she did?

" Dr. Malloy if you weren't my Dr. right now I'd be all over you. I like the way you make me feel. Like a feeling I haven't felt in years since I lost my family."

Malloy had a slightly dazed look on his face " I do? "

Dani nodded. " You make me feel wanted..you went above and beyond to take care of me...but you also make me feel safe because of the look in your eye when you told me about the two orderlies that tried to rape me. I know if anyone tried to hurt me there'd be hell to pay so I'm not alone anymore."

Dr. Malloy cleared his throat." Mrs. Mcdeal I ...don't know what to say..."

" Ask her out you idiot!"  
" For Christs sake Malloy does she need a sign?"  
" Doc I heard everything you promised my friend and you said you meant every word!"

Malloy turned and glared briefly at the door were Dr. Shane, the RN and even Jennie Dani's friend were eavesdropping.

He walked over and shut door with an 'Excuse you!' then closed the blinds. He turned to look at the woman on the bed. He was struck again by how pretty she seemed to him. He cleared his throat and walked up to her. Shyly he picked up her hand and kissed it.

" Mrs. Mcdeal as soon as your discharged it will be my pleasure to take you out."

Dani leaned back and raised a mischievous brow " I'll bet I can get myself discharged tonight!"

Thank you for reading Wrecked Life I hope you enjoyed it. I am working on a fan fiction comic for Zootopia if you are interested you can find it in the following links 210944595669908/photos/rpp.210944595669908/1541659839265037/?type=3&theater and also art/Datenight1-Copy-732936368


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